Pathways and Pilgrimages: Exploring The Camino de Santiago

September 19, 2023

This pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain has been a centerpiece of Christian spiritual life for thousands of years, and a destination for travelers around the world.

The Santiago de Compostela. Dafydd Parri. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St. James, marks a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Extending roughly 500 miles and taking about 30 to 35 days to complete at an average of around 15 miles per day, the Camino is known today both as a center for Christian spiritual life and a hiking haven for travelers looking to submerge themselves in nature with affordable accommodations and opportunities to adventure through local villages along the way.

Today, around 300,000 travelers make their way through the Camino every year, and those who complete the journey earn a Compostela Pilgrims Certificate. According to measurements from 2021, 45% of travelers reported walking the Camino for “religious and other reasons” while 30% reported walking the Camino strictly for religious reasons and 24% said they had no religious reasons for the pilgrimage. The growing popularity of the Camino as a secular travel experience as well as a religious one is aided by its accessibility. While daily expenditures on the Camino depend largely on the town one is stopping in, travelers can plan to budget for about $30 a day to cover the cost of food. Albergues, or hostels specifically made for pilgrims, are also a reliable and affordable option for accommodations along the Camino, with municipal albergues typically costing between $5 to $10 per person, while private albergues range between $12 and $15 per person. Via Lusitana helps connect travelers to albergues along the Camino Portugues.

While there is no exact starting point to the Camino, there are a handful of popular routes to choose from including Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, and Camino Ingles. The two most popular routes are that of the Camino Frances, which begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in southwest France, and the Camino Portuguese which starts from Portugal’s coastal city of Porto. While the Camino Frances covers 500 miles, the Camino Portuguese offers two distinct routes: the Camino Portuguese Central route which is 385 miles and the Camino Portuguese Coastal route which is 175 miles.

The Camino became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993 and was recognized as the first European Cultural Route in 1987, however its history is one that dates back to the 9th century, when remains of the apostle James were believed to be found in Galicia. Saint James preached in the Iberian peninsula before returning to Jerusalem, where he was beheaded by the king Herod Agrippa I in 44 AD. The legend surrounding St. James details how his body was transported from Jerusalem to Spain via a boat and was buried by his followers in Galicia in what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela.

The tomb was discovered in the 9th century by the bishop Theodomir. Upon its discovery the King of Asturia, Alfonso II, widely considered the first pilgrim to the Santiago de Compostela, traveled to the site and ordered that a church be built at the place of burial. Construction began in 1075 and the church was consecrated in 1211.

To accommodate an increase of pilgrimages through the Camino in the Middle Ages, bridges and other infrastructure were built along the route to aid travelers. Between the 11th and 13th century, the Camino’s rising popularity gave rise to a network of housing options and medical services along the route, including hospitals chartered by European kings.

The Camino’s many routes were created by early travelers who shared information amongst themselves regarding the safest travel conditions, which nearby towns to stop in, and where to source food and water throughout the journey. Though lacking official infrastructure, these paths became well defined by the pilgrims who traveled them for hundreds of years. It was not until the 1980s that Father Elías Valiña Sampedro, a priest of a neighboring Galician village, added yellow arrows along the path in an attempt to prevent travelers from getting lost.

Camino Frances

El Alto del Perdón. Rocco Rossi. CC BY 2.0.

As the most popular route, the Camino Frances sees around 55% of all travelers on the Camino de Santiago. Embarking on the French Way is one of the most social options to experience the Camino, and those who do so are sure to run into fellow pilgrims and have opportunities to build connections and a sense of camaraderie along the way.

The entire Camino Frances starts at St Jean Pied de Port, a commune in southwest France, and extends roughly 500 miles and takes about 30 to 34 days to complete with an average of about 15 miles per day. However, the most popular starting point for travelers along the Camino is found at the last 60 miles of the pilgrimage, in the city of Sarria. This last stretch of the Camino takes approximately 7 days and passes through the towns of Portomarin, Melide and Arzua.

Travelers embarking on the Camino Frances will move through the Pyrenees mountain range and into the La Rioja region of Northern Spain. Travelers interested in enjoying the region’s world famous vineyards can explore a variety of wine tours showcasing the region’s diverse earthly flavors.

Other notable traveling stops along the Camino Frances include the Spanish city of Pamplona, whose yearly San Fermín Festival every July features the country’s world-famous bull runs. When the festival is not happening, the Pamplona remains a popular resting spot for travelers along the Camino to explore Gothic and Renaissance art at the Museum of Navarra and the historic Plaza del Castillo where cafes and bars such as Cafe Iruna served as prominent landmarks in American novelist Ernest Hemmingway’s life and writing.

Another highlight along the Camino Frances is the sculpture of El Alto del Perdon, which shows metal silhouettes representing pilgrims traveling through the Camino on foot and horseback. The art piece is located near the town of Puente de la Reina, a historical meeting point for early pilgrims traveling the Camino through a variety of routes along the Pyrenees. The town’s current architecture derives from attempts to accommodate pilgrims during the Middle Ages, including the bridge constructed under Queen Muniadona to assist pilgrims in their travels. The bridge is responsible for the town’s namesake, with Puente de la Reina translating to “the queen’s bridge.”

Camino Portugues

Travelers on El Camino. Staffan Andersson. CC0 1.0.

An alternative to the Camino Frances, the Camino Portugues begins in Portugal and moves the coastline up to Galicia as the second most popular path for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. The route gained popularity in the 12th century after Portugal gained its independence when Queen Isabel of Portugal, known as the “Holy Queen,” made the pilgrimage herself in the 14th century. Today, the Camino Portugues sees about 25% of all travelers embarking on the pilgrimage.

There are three main routes that travelers embarking on the Camino Portugues can choose from: the Central Route, which takes around 12 days, the Coastal Route, which takes between 12-14 days, and the Litoral Route, which follows the Coastal Route in large part while also incorporating pathways onto the beach. All routes meet in the Spanish town of Redondela before reaching Santiago de Compostela.

Each route carries its own advantages and disadvantages. The Central Route has more infrastructure and access to towns and accommodations, however it is also the busiest route, seeing 70% of all travelers on the Camino Portugues. Comparatively, only about 30% of travelers opt for the Coastal Route, making it a quieter experience with less built-in tourism.

Those starting the Camino Portugues from Porto will get to enjoy the city’s famous local port wine, the Baroque style Porto Cathedral — or Se do Porto — and the boat tours of the stunning Douro River.

Vigo is a popular starting point for those who want to experience the last 60 miles of the Camino, and the city offers a variety of activities including fish markets and a coastline overlooking the Cies Islands.

Services such as Pilgrim help travelers create a personal guide for their trip, curated towards each individual’s preferred route and transportation type — including walking, cycling and completing the Camino on horseback or with pets. Pilgrim also helps connect travelers to special services while on the road, including the options to order bike gear, rent a car and transport personal luggage.

Online guides are another helpful tool for travelers when it comes to finding rest stops and maps of nearby towns to explore along the Camino

Jessica Blatt graduated from Barnard College with a degree in English. Along with journalism, she is passionate about creative writing and storytelling that inspires readers to engage with the world around them. She hopes to share her love for travel and learning about new cultures through her work.

Hagia Sophia: Istanbul’s Oldest Building

September 19, 2023

Having served as a church, mosque and museum, Hagia Sophia represents both religion and history in Istanbul.

Built in the 6th Century, Hagia Sophia is the oldest building in Istanbul, Turkey. This ancient structure has been an important spiritual center for both Christians and Muslims, and its history is shown through its architectural features. Here is a deep-dive into the creation of Hagia Sophia, its meaning to different cultures, and how to visit it today.

History

Interior of Hagia Sophia. Wolfgang Guelcker. CC BY 3.0.

Originally named “Megale Ekklesia,” or “Great Church,” Hagia Sophia was built in 360 under Emperor Constantius. After the church was destroyed by riots in 404, it was rebuilt by Emperor Theodosius in 415. During this period, the church received its current name, “Hagia Sophia,” or “Holy Wisdom.” After being burned down during a revolt in 532, the final structure of Hagia Sophia was resurrected under Emperor Justinian I in 537, with some restorations in the 14th century. This version of the church was known as the Cathedral of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was a spiritual center of the Eastern Orthodox Church. After the Ottoman Empire took over Constintinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmet II repurposed Hagia Sophia, which served as a mosque until becoming a museum in 1935. In 1985, Hagia Sophia became a UNESCO World Heritage site, giving official recognition its long cherished cultural value.

Controversy

Greek protest against Turkey. Des Byrne. CC BY 2.0.

In 2020, Hagia Sophia was renamed a mosque under the Turkish government. This decision created controversy between Turkey and other nations, as repurposing it as a mosque draws away from the entirety of the structure’s history and the mutual respect between religions. This also strengthened existing tensions between Turkey and Greece, as Hagia Sophia was once part of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Architecture

Dome

Following St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Hagia Sophia is home to the second largest pendentive dome in the world. The main dome of the structure has a diameter of 107 feet and is supported by 4 pendentives, which are large triangular arches that meet in the middle of a structure. These structures are one of the earliestlarge pendentives to ever be made. There are also two semi-domes on each side of the main one, supported by columns.

Columns

Hagia Sophia has 140 columns, all from different parts of the world. For example, the purple columns supporting the semi-domes of the structure originated in Egypt. There are also green columns from the Artemis Temple in Ephesus, an ancient Greek city. The most prominent columns are made of Verde Antique stone, which was mined from quarries in the city of Larissa, Greece during the Byzantine empire. These columns are 34 feet tall, and its material was used frequently during the 6th century.

Mosaics

Mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. World History Encyclopaedia. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Originally, Hagia Sophia displayed many Christian mosaics, but these images were covered during the Ottoman Empire. Some of these mosaics depict angels and praise Jesus and the Virgin Mary, while others take the form of emperors such as Justinian and Constantine. One of the most iconic mosaics shows the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus, and this image remains uncovered today. Created in the 860s, this is the oldest mosaic in Hagia Sophia.

How to Visit

People visiting Hagia Sophia. Magnus Manske. CC BY 2.0.

Though it has reverted to a mosque, Hagia Sophia is still open to the public. Visitors are required to remove their shoes before walking its carpets. Hagia Sophia is open to the public every day of the week, but closes to non-worshipping visitors during prayer hours. Guided tours of Hagia Sophia are also offered through different websites, usually for a fee.

Click here for more Hagia Sophia visitation guidelines.

Alexandra is a student at The College of New Jersey studying psychology and journalism. She is a lover of coffee, dancing, and visiting new places. Being raised with her Greek culture has inspired her interest in cultural customs around the world. She is a passionate writer and hopes that her work will make an impact in the future.

Going at it Alone: The Highs and Lows of Solo Travel

September 19, 2023

Though riddled with its own challenges, solo travel provides unparalleled opportunity to build confidence and create friendships on the road.

Ink Under Fire: The Ongoing Struggle Against Literary Censorship

September 19, 2023

More books are being banned than ever before, posing a real threat to the universal right to freedom of expression.

A demonstrator holds up a sign against book bans in the US. Craig Bailey. CC BY-SA 2.0

For decades, authors have written about the banning of books and censoring of literature in the context of dystopian societies dominated by harsh autocratic rulers. In a world that values the free exchange of ideas and uses the written word as a means to express and share ideas, beliefs and knowledge, the act of banning books stands as a paradoxical and deeply contentious practice. Nevertheless, 2022 saw a record breaking 2,571 unique titles banned in the US alone, compared to just 566 in 2019, not to mention the handful of other countries around the world with much stronger and infamous censorship policies. Banning books raises questions about the limits of authority, the boundaries of creativity and in some cases, the very nature of truth itself — without literature, those in power can freely rewrite history.

Almost all recently banned books have been targeted due to their inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters or racial themes. Mark Mulligan. CC BY-SA 2.0

Unfortunately, it is not just books that have come under fire: Many library workers across the US and beyond have reported being harassed or even threatened with legal action and violence if they do not take certain titles off the shelves. While some books have been singled out due to racist language and themes — Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Ralph Ellison’s “The Invisible Man”, to name a few — the undeniable majority of complaints have come from conservatives who take issue with literature that touches on LGBTQ+ or contemporary racial justice topics. This latter category includes books like “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe, “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas and even the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project, which chronicles the legacy of American slavery. While some books have returned to the shelves after being banned, many have been put to the side indefinitely, setting dangerous restrictions on the types of history and social commentary available for public consumption.

A display of books that have been banned over the past two years. Getty Images. CC BY-NC 2.0

Despite the obvious challenges this poses, writers have continued to find ways to defy unfair censorship laws and continue to publish their work. A recent example occurred when internationally renowned author Margaret Atwood published a new, fireproof edition of her award winning book “The Handmaid’s Tale”. First published in 1985, this novel has been banned in countries all over the world for reasons including its sexual content, prominent LGBTQ+ characters and anti-Christian themes. In a nod to the practice of book burning as a popular form of literary censorship, Atwood wrote in The Atlantic that trying to stop young people from reading “The Handmaid’s Tale” will, “only make them want to read it more,” and wished her critics luck. The special edition was auctioned off for $130,000 by Sotheby’s, the proceeds of which went to PEN America for their campaigns to fight literary bans.

82-year-old author Margaret Atwood aiming a flamethrower at her inflammable book, The Handmaid’s Tale. NPR. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Given the increased democratization of information due to the internet, Atwood’s words raise the crucial question of whether banning books is actually still an effective way to remove literature from the public sphere. In an effort to counter the effects of such bans, publishing houses, libraries and some academic institutions have compiled online databases of banned books to ensure that they are still available to the public. Another counter-movement saw PEN America join forces with National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman to challenge the banning of her inauguration poem “The Hill We Climb” at an elementary school in Florida. Even in the face of these efforts, however, the digital domain is still not safe from literary censorship. Just last year, a number of online library and reading apps used widely by students during the pandemic were targeted by parents who were uncomfortable with the titles available to their children; again, the reasons cited revolved around the inclusion of pro-LGBTQ+ themes and supposedly anti-religious content.

Banned books are made available to children at this school in the UK. St Benedict’s School. CC BY-NC 2.0

From the historic book burning bonfires to the rise of online censorship, the conflict over banned books reflects a struggle for control over narratives that challenge conventions and expand our understanding of the world. Literature has the power to challenge norms and provoke curiosity, but doing so has often put it at odds with those seeking to maintain the status quo. In a society driven by information and ideas, the censorship of literature raises a critical question: What does freedom mean if we are denied the opportunity to explore a diversity of perspectives, no matter how discomforting or provocative they may be?

Tanaya Vohra

Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.

7 Books by LatinX Authors to Read This Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15, 2023

From literary classics to modern favorites, here is a list of must-read titles by LatinX authors in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

A traditional dancer performs at a Hispanic Heritage Month festival. GPA Photo Archive. CC0

With an incredibly rich history and huge variety of cultures, it is no surprise that Latin America has consistently produced world famous and award winning authors for decades. From historical fiction about the continent’s troubled colonial past to light-hearted stories about colorful local traditions, the diversity of Latin American literature spans time and space to offer incredible insights into life for bookworms and the average fiction reader alike. In celebration of September as LatinX Heritage Month, here are seven incredible books by LatinX authors to add to your reading list.

“Violeta” - Isabel Allende

Left: Violeta. Goodreads. CC BY-SA 2.0 Right: Isabel Allende. Lesekreis. CC BY-SA 2.0

Multi-award winner Isabel Allende’s most recent novel follows the titular character from her birth to her death over a tumultuous century. Violeta is born during the Spanish Flu in 1920 and lives through the Great Depression, World War II and all the changes brought by the turn of the twenty-first century, while navigating family, romance and her own desires. Allende, arguably the first internationally successful female Chilean author, is known for writing in the “magic realism” style, weaving history with fiction and myth with reality to create engaging plotlines that find their roots in Hispanic culture, society, and politics. This novel is no different, and Violeta’s story, written in the form of a letter to the one person she loves the most, recounts 100 years of Chilean history through the eyes of a determined, humorous woman who, above all else, carries a deep love life.

“Solito” - Javier Zamora

Left: Solito. NBCNews. CC BY-NC 2.0 Right: Javier Zamora. Dan Vera. CC BY-SA 2.0

A poet by trade, Salvadoran writer and activist Javier Zamora has collected his fair share of accolades, and is currently a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University. The New York Times bestseller “Solito” is his latest project having been published in 2022 and tells the heart wrenching story of Zamora’s perilous journey from El Salvador to the United States at only nine years of age. Leaving his extended family and childhood home behind, Javier travels almost entirely alone to reunite with his parents who had fled the country years earlier. He has no way of knowing about the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that will stand in his way, or the group of kind-hearted strangers who will come to treat him like one of their own. This biographical memoir is unlike either of Zamora’s earlier published works, and provides an incredible and intimate account of a story shared by millions of Central American migrants who have no choice but to flee their homes due to violence and political unrest.

“A Little Luck” - Claudia Piñero

Left: A Little Luck. Charco Press. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Right: Claudia Piñero. Secretaría de Cultura de la Nación. CC BY-NC 2.0

After the success of her earlier novel “Elena Knows,” Argentine novelist and finalist for the 2022 International Booker Prize Claudia Piñero has astounded her readers once again with this 2015 novel which has only recently been translated to English. Piñero has an incredible talent for exploring the depths of unbelievably tragedy and pain while offering her audiences brief moments of hope, and “A Little Luck” is no different. The novel follows Mary Lohan, a woman who fled the suburbs of Buenos Aires after an accident but has finally returned two decades later. While on the outside she in no way resembles her past self, she is very much still the same Mary, and as the past starts to resurface her present begins to crumble. “A Little Luck” is a beautifully crafted story about love, lies, unforgettable places, uninvited people, and most of all, the inescapable power of fate.

“The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” - Junot Díaz

Left: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Biblio. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Right. Junot Díaz. American Library Association. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Originally published in 2007, this novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2008, along with a host of other awards. Dominican-American author Junot Díaz penned this novel, during his time at MIT, where he continues to teach in the Creative Writing department. Díaz wrote several works while attending the prestigious university, but “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” remains his most well-known and celebrated title to this day. The novel follows the titular character, a lovable and overweight Dominican teenager living in New Jersey with his mother and sister. He wants nothing more than to become a world famous author, except for maybe finding true love, a dream that feels far out of reach given the curse that has afflicted his family for generations and has resulted in only ill-fated romances. With an incredibly skilled hand, Díaz guides his readers through the life of Oscar and his family, both past and present, while also touching on the brutal reign of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.

“Like Water for Chocolate” - Laura Esquivel

Left: Like Water for Chocolate. Grab The Lapels. CC BY-SA 2.0 Right: Laura Esquivel. Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México. CC BY-SA 2.0

This 1989 novel was translated into English in 1992, and immediately became a modern classic in the pantheon of Latin American literature. The title comes from a common idiom in Spanish-speaking countries, “como agua para chocolate,” which refers to an intense state of emotion, whether it be anger, excitement or even arousal. Mexican author and screenwriter Laura Esquivel chose this for the title of her first novel because of the many references to food and culinary culture throughout the story, which add to her detailed description of family life at the turn of the century in Mexico. The novel makes use of humor and magic to explore a bittersweet love story both relatable and fantastical, as well as its impact on the families at the center of the drama. Each chapter begins with a recipe filled with cleverly chosen words and descriptions which allude to upcoming character and plot developments, an aspect that was unfortunately largely lost when Esquivel wrote the screenplay for the 1992 movie adaptation.

“In the Time of the Butterflies” - Julia Alvarez

Left: In the Time of the Butterflies. Amazon. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Right: Julia Alvarez. Julia Alvarez. CC BY-SA 2.0

Julia Alvarez is a Dominican-American essayist, poet, and novelist who is known for her ability to weave fact with fiction and craft irresistible plotlines that detail political and social events through the eyes of colorful and relatable characters. “In the Time of the Butterflies” is a perfect example of this, as a work of historical fiction with its foundations in the very real story of the Mirabal sisters, four young women who tirelessly fought for their country’s freedom under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic during the 1900s. Known by Dominicans as “las mariposas” or “the butterflies,” the sisters were unfortunately assassinated in 1960 for their efforts to overthrow the government. Alvarez gives these characters a new life by imagining their time as teenagers, and how they came to be involved with revolutionary efforts before falling victim to the destructive regime. Through the voice of each sister, the story of their political involvement, victimization and deep love for each other slowly but surely come to light.

“100 Years of Solitude” - Gabriel García Márquez

Left: 100 Years of Solitude. Amazon. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Right: Gabriel García Márquez. Jose Lara. CC BY-SA 2.0

No list of Latin American literature is complete with this 1982 Nobel Prize-winning classic, and what many consider to be Gabriel García Márquez’s best work. The late Colombian novelist published this novel in 1967, chronicling seven generations of the Buendía family and the rural town of Macondo they built in Colombia between the 1820s and the 1920s. While separated from the rest of Colombian society by an imposing mountain range, Macondo is a microcosm of larger society with its troubles and its magic, although the key to all of the town’s secrets remain hidden in a coded book. Through its delicate blend of magic, reality, history, and tradition, Márquez presents an allegorical insight into the turbulent social and political atmosphere in Colombia during the post-colonial times, and the country’s development over the following century.

Tanaya Vohra

Island Hopping Off The Grid: 5 Filipino Islands You’ve Never Heard Of

September 15, 2023

From unspoilt beaches and heritage sites to surfing hotspots and sunset views, there is plenty to choose from in the Philippines without running into massive crowds.

Afghanistan’s Only Female Tour Guide Hosts Virtual Tours

September 8, 2023

This is the story of 24-year-old Fatima Haidari’s love and dedication to her country — from 3,000 miles away.

Bamyan Province, Afghanistan. Untamed Borders.

Meet Fatima Haidari: a 24-year-old guide who offers virtual tours of her country, Afghanistan. Forced to flee by the Taliban, Fatima now resides in Milan, Italy and provides a detailed tourist experience through Zoom of the Afghan city of Herat — taking visitors through sites such as the Citadel and the Central Blue Mosque.

Before the Taliban seized power in August 2021, Fatima worked as a local tour guide in Herat, using the job as a means to pay for her education, where she studied journalism and mass communication at university. Fatima is also the first ever female tour guide in Afghanistan, recognized in headlines in 2020. While she is no longer able to offer those in-person tours of her homeland, she continues to do what she can to show Herat off to the world — not just because the city is a beautiful and interesting place to explore, but because she doesn’t want outsiders to associate Afghanistan only with war and terror. Rather, its culture and history are what matter to her, and should take center stage.
But her passion and love for her country isn’t the only place Fatima’s heart lies. Growing up in the mountains in the central region of Ghor, Fatima was the youngest of seven children and was denied a rightful education, because she was a woman and because her family lacked the money. She worked for three years, making items such as traditional clothes to earn her way into an education, and was finally able to convince her parents to allow her to go to university in Herat in 2019, where she studied journalism.

Through years of hard work, Fatima was able to get an education. But many girls back home in Afghanistan do not have the same privilege. Considered one of the lucky ones to have fled, Fatima will use a portion of the money she earns from the Afghan virtual tours to donate to a women's education charity, which currently operates in Afghanistan.

Fatima partners with Untamed Borders — a travel operator dedicated to taking groups to some of the most interesting and inaccessible places — to make these virtual tours possible. The approximately 1.5 hour tour will take guests to see the 1,400-year-old Great Mosque, the Herat Citadel and through the city’s bazaars and traditional teahouses, while Fatima narrates stories about Afghanistan that focus on its people, culture and extensive history.

But this event is a milestone itself. There has never been a virtual tour of Herat, and as Afghanistan’s first-ever female tour guide, this is a groundbreaking step to inspire other women in the nation. As Fatima says, she wants to be a changer, not a victim.

Fatima leading a virtual group tour. Untamed Borders.

And, of course, there can be no frank and open discussion about the people of Afghanistan without mentioning its women. Not only are they denied an education, Fatima has said the reascendant Taliban forces women to marry and perpetrates sexual or physical abuse against them. Things are more expensive for women, even though they are losing their jobs and forced to become housewives. By shining a light on the current situation in Afghanistan, Fatima is able to talk about her homeland while also spreading awareness to those able to make a difference.

Fatima’s next virtual tour will take place on September 12. Guests are able to book through Untamed Borders, and tickets will cost $60.

Through her own personal experiences and ties to a country seized by tyranny, Fatima hopes to share what makes Afghanistan so distinct and worthy of exploration while also fighting for justice, so that the women there will grow up knowing what it’s like to go to school.

Michelle is a senior at Boston University, majoring in journalism and minoring in philosophy. Her parents are first-generation immigrants from China, so her love for different cultures and traveling came naturally at a young age. After graduation, she hopes to continue sharing important messages through her work.

Colombia Unveiled: My Journey from Mountainous Bogota to Caribbean Cartagena

September 7, 2023

From palm forests to quaint towns to the scenic Caribbean, Colombia defies stereotypes and should be a must-visit destination on your South American travels.

Off The Beaten Path in Shanghai

August 31, 2023

From cultural collections to ancient architecture, here are 6 of Shanghai’s esoteric sites.

Oppenheimer’s Critical Omission: The Relocation of Hispanic and Indigenous Populations

August 31, 2023

Intricate but incomplete, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer disregards the true history of Hispanic and Indigenous populations in New Mexico.

Trinity Nuclear Test. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. CC0.

A picturesque aquamarine sky hangs lazily above a dusty, deserted New Mexico landscape. Through a tangle of brush, a lanky Robert Oppenheimer, played by Irish actor Cillian Murphy, emerges on horseback. His eyes feast on the remote plains and he declares that besides a local boys’ school and “Indian” burial grounds, Los Alamos will be the perfect site to construct the world’s first atomic weapons.

These momentous decisions and moral quandaries are explored in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Grossing $450 million in its first fourteen days at the box office, the 1940s period piece has cemented itself as a somewhat unlikely cultural icon. Gone are the days of Nolan’s slightly fantastical films — notably Inception (2010) and Interstellar (2014). Recently, the Academy Award-nominated director has been dipping his toes in the realism of period pieces, beginning with Dunkirk (2017) and continuing with Oppenheimer.
Nolan’s portrayal of Oppenheimer — based on the biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin — is deliberately layered. The audience travels alongside Oppenheimer over the course of his life for three hours. On one hand, Oppenheimer’s humanity is a gut punch: viewers experience his mistress’s death, his tumultuous marriage, and his gradual realization of the death and destruction his scientific creation has wrought. On the other, viewers gaze upon the physicist with disgust: the man was, as he infamously declared himself, a destroyer of worlds.

J. Robert Oppenheimer. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. CC0.

The use of the first atomic bomb by the United States to defeat Japan and win World War II is one of the signal events of the modern era, arguably helping to prevent a land invasion of Japan that could have killed millions. Despite the magnitude of this technical and geopolitical accomplishment, the legacy of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will forever cast a negative light on the United States government and the team of nuclear physicists involved in the development of the atomic bomb. While Nolan acknowledges this complex legacy, his portrayal of key elements of the Manhattan Project and the Los Alamos Laboratory obscures another historical moral quandary. The remote sandy vistas in Nolan’s cinematography smother the true story of Los Alamos and the Trinity nuclear test.

The reality, omitted from Nolan’s film, is that during the Manhattan Project the U.S. Government forcibly relocated Indigenous and Hispanic populations that resided in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Contrary to the movie’s dialogue, there were two dozen homesteaders and a ranch occupying the land that was taken by the government for the project, in addition to the school mentioned by Oppenheimer. The government seized the land and offered the owners compensation based on an appraisal of the land — an amount of compensation that the government itself thought was fit. Some homesteaders, however, objected to the compensation offered by the government, considering it far too little. Many in the Federal Government would eventually come to agree with them; in 2004, decades after the original compensation, Congress established a $10 million fund to pay back the homesteaders.
Moreover, it was difficult for the homesteaders to object in the first place due to the language barrier. Most homesteaders spoke Spanish, while government officials often only communicated in English. Some families were even held at gunpoint as they were forced to leave with no explanation, due to the project’s secrecy. Livestock and other animals on property were shot or let loose. Livelihoods were destroyed along with these animals.

Los Alamos Colloquium of Physicists. Los Alamos National Laboratory. CC0.

The element of secrecy surrounding the Manhattan Project and the Trinity nuclear test disrupted the lives of families living directly on Los Alamos land. But, for the 13,000 New Mexicans living within a fifty mile radius of the Trinity test (in Jornada del Muerto, New Mexico), the nuclear explosion truly seemed to be the end of the world. Because the mushroom cloud was visible from up to 200 miles away from the test site, and no civilians knew tests were being conducted, fear erupted in concert with the explosion.

Nolan’s film not only fails to indicate that homesteaders on Los Alamos were forcibly relocated — it also fails to mention that civilians from northern to southern New Mexico were exposed to harmful radiation from the bomb. Radioactive fallout initially contaminated water and livestock, and in turn, civilians. There were no studies or treatment conducted on individuals exposed to radiation, which could have exposed the highly classified program. Those who were in the radius or downwind of the fallout became known as “downwinders,” and began to develop autoimmune diseases, chronic illness and cancer.

Manhattan Project U.S. Map. Wikimedia Commons. CC by 3.0.

Eventually, the Hispanic American and Indigenous populations who lived in the area returned to Los Alamos to work for the project without knowing its true nature or extent. They returned as maids or as construction workers, often handling radioactive and contaminated materials without knowledge of the harm and risk of exposure. Many became economically dependent on a laboratory that posed environmental and health risks for the greater Los Alamos population. This led to struggles with physical and mental health that have continued to the present time.

The legacy of the Manhattan Project, the Los Alamos Laboratory and the Trinity nuclear test hangs in a state of limbo. It transcends time — becoming the past, present and future for Hispanic and Indigenous populations in New Mexico. Nolan’s failure to acknowledge these populations’ displacement and unwitting contamination silences their narratives and obscures this unique patrimony. J. Robert Oppenheimer’s depiction as a thumbtack in sandy nothingness is historically inaccurate — Nolan’s cinematic depiction of desolation glosses over a more complex reality. Los Alamos was, and is, living and breathing.

Carina Cole is a Media Studies student with a Correlate in Creative Writing at Vassar College. She is an avid journalist and occasional flash fiction writer. Her passion for writing overlaps with environmentalism, feminism, social justice, and a desire to travel beyond the United States. When she’s not writing, you can find her meticulously curating playlists or picking up a paintbrush.

Visual Protest: The History and Legacy of the Berlin Wall Art

August 31, 2023

The Berlin Wall spent decades as a symbol for ideological division, but has become an outlet for personal expression.

Thierry Noir’s heads at the East Side Gallery. Paul VanDerWerf. CC by 2.0.

Visually, the East Side Gallery in Berlin, Germany is a vast edifice of technicolor concrete. Although only fragments of the original 96 mile (155 kilometer) wall remain, the sections that still stand are striking. From the flashes of aquamarine and mustard yellow featured in Thierry Noir’s iconic cartoon heads to the dark spray paint outlining miscellaneous graffiti, the murals are simultaneously imposing and welcoming. But the gallery's importance runs deeper than its appearance; decades of history and political turbulence echo through its fallen walls.

When fully intact from 1961 until 1989, the Berlin Wall separated East Berlin from West Berlin; both halves were located well within East German territory, making West Berlin a NATO exclave in the Eastern Bloc. Prior to the wall's construction, emigration to West Germany by skilled workers, professionals, and intellectuals threatened East Germany’s economy. A few years after World War II, East Germany was constituted as a communist state controlled by the Soviet Union, while West Germany was formed out of the French, British and American occupation zones. The wall became a physical symbol of the Cold War: a division not only of Europe geographically, but also the global ideological divide between communism and democracy.
In the midst of longstanding Soviet de facto control of East Berlin, in 1985 then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev introduced the reform policies of glasnost (“openness”) and perestroika (“restructuring”), referring primarily to freedom of expression and economic reform, respectively. This decision, coupled with the growing number of protests sweeping across multiple Soviet republics, created a breaking point that eventually erupted into mass action. On November 9th, 1989, East German spokesman Günter Schabowski announced that East Germans would be free to travel into West Germany, starting immediately. In reality, travel was supposed to commence the following day, with regulations to prevent complete freedom of movement. But it was too late for regulations, and the crowds of people from East Germany immediately began to climb and even physically break down the wall.

The fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989. Gavin Stewart. CC by 2.0.

Because of the long period of repression associated with the barrier, one might assume that civilians who had lived on either side would want nothing to do with it ever again. But in 1990, just months after the Wall fell, some of the most famous murals of the Berlin Wall were painted (some of the preserved graffiti, including Thierry Noir’s brightly-colored heads, was created even before the Wall fell). With a newfound sense of freedom, people found their voice through art and created pointed political, social and cultural commentary.

Arguably the most famous of these works is Dmitri Vrubel’s “My God, Help Me to Survive this Deadly Love.” Commonly referred to as “Fraternal Kiss,” Vrubel’s piece depicts East German leader Erich Honecker and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev kissing. The kiss between the two socialist leaders was a rare, but not unknown greeting — often socialist leaders would kiss each other thrice on each cheek after embracing and, at special events, would kiss on the mouth to demonstrate solidarity and brotherhood.
The Brezhnev-Honecker mural was based on a real photograph of the event taken by Regis Bossu eleven years earlier, in 1979. The kiss took place after an economic agreement between the USSR and German Democratic Republic (the formal name of communist East Germany). The image was famous when it was originally taken, but Vrubel’s artistic rendering took its notoriety to new, unforeseen heights.

“My God, Please Help Me Survive this Deadly Love.” Andy Hay. CC by 2.0.

Although Vrubel’s iconic piece is perhaps the most recognizable mural, much of Berlin’s wall art would not have been painted without the help of Kani Alavi. Alavi was an organizer of the East Side Gallery, which invited artists from around the world to paint and express their reflections on the Cold War ideological divide and personal experiences. Alavi’s own visual contribution, “It Happened in November,” is a synthesis of personal experience and political commentary. The Berlin Wall consisted of two distinct walls separated by a gap for maximum security, and Alavi’s mural depicts thousands of faces walking between them on the day it came down. Alavi had viewed this scene personally from his apartment overlooking Checkpoint Charlie, which was the best-known border crossing between East and West Berlin.

“It Happened in November.” Fraser Mummery. CC by 2.0.

Alavi also directly helped inspire another of the most notable murals, the “Berlin Wall Trabant” by artist Birgit Kinder. Supposedly, Alavi told Kinder to paint anything she wanted on the wall, but she hesitated for a moment. It was only when she looked at her East-German manufactured Trabant car that she felt inspired. She began painting her car forcefully bursting through the wall, symbolizing the city’s escape from Soviet rule. Close observers will note that the license plate reads “Nov 9-89,” which is the day the Berlin Wall fell.

“Berlin Wall Trabant.” Judith. CC BY-NC 2.0.

When the wall fell, and the Soviet grip on East Germany loosened, creativity flowed. Artists visually translated their newfound freedom onto a canvas that had once held them captive. Their murals symbolized the reclamation of power by East Berlin’s formerly oppressed inhabitants. And with this somewhat-unlikely canvas they were able to recount their lived experience and depict the conflict and compromise of the world around them, concretely living in vivid color, forever.

The Dark Side of H&M's Fast Fashion Empire

August 31, 2023

As the fashion industry grapples with its environmental impact, the fast fashion brand H&M comes under scrutiny for its pollution and hazardous labor conditions.

A landfill in Russia. Wikipedia commons. CC BY-SA 4.0

Have you ever fallen in love with a dress, imagining it would exude the same style and allure as it does on a model or your favorite celebrity, only for it to be worn just once or twice before being forgotten in the depths of your closet? Many of us can relate to this experience. Interestingly, today’s average person buys 60 percent more clothing items than they did 15 years ago, but keeps them for only half as long as they used to. Waste in the fashion industry has many causes, but is often associated with fast fashion, a business strategy in which companies quickly turn around cheap imitations of high status garments to cash in on transient fads.

In the realm of fashion, vanity can lead to excessive consumption and an alarming amount of waste. Although individual choices play a role in this, it is crucial to recognize that fashion behemoths, including renowned names like H&M, Zara, and UNIQLO, often promote fast fashion trends while glossing over environmental costs to maximize profits.

The dawn of fast fashion can be pinpointed to the rapid evolution of supply chain management in the industry. Gone were the days of traditional craftsmanship, where each individual garment was lovingly designed either at home or within small workshops. Thanks to the fashion supply chain, designers could now disseminate their original creations through an intricate network of textile sourcing companies, manufacturing facilities, distribution channels, retail stores and warehousing centers. The 1960s witnessed a surge in young people embracing affordable clothing, shunning the age-old notion of sartorial grandeur. In response to this cultural shift, retailers began introducing trendy and pocket-friendly attire, consistently refreshing their offerings through the 1990s. While this innovative approach bolstered brand visibility and efficiency, it also gave rise to a notable drawback: excessive waste. Take the production of shirts and shoes, for instance; over the past five decades, production has doubled, yet three out of four of these items end up either incinerated or in landfills.

H&M at Belfast. William Murphy. CC BY-SA 2.0.

The 1990s were a turning point for brands like H&M. Originally established in 1947 by Swedish businessman Erling Persson under the name “Hennes,” the company later acquired Mauritz Widforss in 1968, a Swedish hunting and fishing store, leading to the more succinct and memorable name of H&M that we know today. Rapidly expanding across Europe, the company set its sights on global outreach by the 1980s. H&M made its first foray outside Europe with a store on New York’s 5th Avenue, positioning itself alongside myriad other fast fashion brands. Catering to a diverse consumer base, including women, men, teenagers and children, it offers an extensive range of products, from sportswear and underwear to shoes, accessories and cosmetics, all at affordable prices. With a presence in over 4,000 stores worldwide and a workforce of over 100,000 people, H&M stands as the eighth most valuable apparel brand in the world as of 2022, only trailing behind giants like Nike, ZARA, and Adidas.

However, behind H&M’s tale of success lies a daunting environmental cost. The brand’s significant contribution to waste and pollution is a matter of public concern. In 2019 alone, H&M churned out a staggering 3 billion garments, making it one of the foremost polluters in the fashion industry. The use of cheap and toxic textile dyes, coupled with the fabrics themselves, is contributing to the global warming crisis. Polyester, an artificial textile that constitutes roughly 60% of the global fiber market in 2020, is derived from fossil fuels and sheds microfibers that exacerbate the proliferation of plastic in our oceans. Although H&M promotes its use of recycled polyester, made from oil-based waste like old PET bottles or pre-existing polyester clothing, studies reveal that the recycling process is energy-intensive, and tracing the origin of recycled polyester is challenging. Surprisingly, of all the materials used by H&M, a mere 23% are recycled, even though the brand touts that 84% of its products are sourced from recycled or sustainable materials, and the criteria for a “sustainable material” remains elusive. Even H&M's acclaimed Conscious Collection, which is marketed as sustainable and has seen brisk sales, contains only a fraction of recycled materials. All of these concerns are artfully obscured by the ambiguous language of H&M’s sustainability report.

Protest against Fast Fashion. Stefan Muller. CC-BY 2.0

While acknowledging the importance of gradual change, H&M's approach to sustainability is unacceptable due to the company’s engagement in greenwashing — a disconcerting technique whereby companies overstate their actual sustainability accomplishments to divert criticism from harmful practices. A study conducted by The Changing Markets Foundation, an organization dedicated to propelling and amplifying solutions for sustainability challenges through market influence, revealed that a startling 96% of the claims in H&M's sustainability report were “unsubstantiated” and “misleading” as per guidelines. Despite the vagueness in its official report, H&M invests diligently in presenting a clear and positive image of its sustainability initiatives through vigorous social media and marketing campaigns. An example of this involves the brand’s strategic partnerships with celebrities. For instance, H&M collaborated with the former Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams, whom the company lauded as a symbol for her generation and an influential advocate for female empowerment, sustainability and diversity. In 2020, H&M introduced “The Loop Machine,” a recycling program aimed at transforming old H&M garments into new clothing items. However, access to this program remains limited worldwide and is burdened by lengthy processing times, with hours required to recycle a single item.

Beyond its environmental impact, H&M’s massive production business model has led to serious ethical concerns, particularly regarding labor conditions. While H&M has taken some steps towards recognizing the importance of decent, meaningful jobs with fair compensation, benefits, and safe working environments free from discrimination and with the right to freedom of association, statistics paint a grim picture. During the pandemic, a staggering 89 percent of H&M workers received wages below the international poverty line. In June 2023, just a month earlier, over 4,000 Spanish employees from H&M's brands, including Other Stories and Cos, took to the streets, demanding pay raises in line with the rising cost of living and protesting increased workloads resulting from layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers at factories producing for H&M and Best Seller also reported witnessing explosions and exposure to electrical discharge and harmful substances.

H&M Global map in 2015.Barthateslisa. CC BY-SA 4.0.

While it is true that H&M has made progress — evident in its 2022 report with highlights such as 17 approved projects that can potentially reduce the supply chain’s CO2e production by 50,000 tonnes and an improved Fashion Transparency Index ranking — there is still much more the company must do to be ethical and go green. The root of the issue lies in its fundamentally unsustainable fast fashion model, which prioritizes cost reduction and profit maximization above all else.

Thrift Town in California. MikeR. CC BY 2.0.

On the other hand, the resale and rental industries are rising as more sustainable alternatives to fast fashion. Embracing a recycle-oriented model, they eliminate the need to extract additional resources to meet our demands. Though not as widely accepted in the world of fashion, they provide compelling alternatives for those seeking a more environmentally-conscious lifestyle. For H&M and other fast fashion brands, addressing current concerns about pollution, waste, and human rights is only a partial solution on the path to sustainability. As they continue to expand globally, new challenges will inevitably arise. The true path to progress lies in an unwavering commitment to a radical transformation of the industrial model, embracing a truly sustainable approach.

TO GET INVOLVED:

Centre for Sustainable Fashion

The Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) is a research institute in the University of the Arts London's London College of Fashion. Its mission is to challenge and question the status quo in the fashion industry, driving toward a system that values and respects the planet’s ecology. Embracing Fashion Design for Sustainability, the CSF pioneers innovative approaches in academia, industry and education. Learn more about CSF here.

Fashion For Good

Fashion For Good, a platform fueled by the fashion industry, spearheads sustainable fashion innovation. Its goal is to unite the entire fashion ecosystem, transforming it into a powerful force for good. Shifting away from the linear 'take-make-waste' model, Fashion For Good advocates for a circular Good Fashion strategy, one that is restorative and regenerative by design. With its Accelerator, Scaling Program and Good Fashion Fund, the organization targets technologies and business models with immense potential to revolutionize the industry. Learn more about CSF here.

Hope is a Chinese international student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina studying sociology, statistics, and journalism. She dreams of traveling around the globe as a freelance reporter while touching on a wide range of social issues from education inequality to cultural diversity. Passionate about environmental issues and learning about other cultures, she is eager to explore the globe. In her free time, she enjoys cooking Asian cuisine, reading, and theater.

Humans are Leading Blue Whales Toward Extinction in Sri Lanka

August 27, 2023

Human activity has compromised the blue whale habitats in Sri Lankan waters. Here’s what is being done about it.

Blue whale. U.S. Embassy New Zealand. CC0 1.0.

Though blue whales are the largest animal species on Earth, their population has been shrunk by human activity. There are an estimated 10,000 to 25,000 blue whales left on Earth, compared to a population of at least 100,000 just a century ago. A traditional hotspot for these endangered gentle giants is the northern Indian Ocean, in Sri Lankan waters. Human actions, such as fishing and shipping, have contributed to the death of blue whales in this area, pushing this species ever closer to extinction. Here are some ways that humans have negatively impacted the blue whale population, as well as some potential solutions.

Pollution

Microplastic. Oregon State University. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Pollution, particularly of microplastics, has contributed toward the decrease in the blue whale populations. As their name suggests, microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that are created when larger objects break down, or are manufactured at tiny sizes for beauty products such as face scrubs. Krill often consume this type of debris, and are themselves food for whales in huge quantities. Because of the enormous amount of krill they eat, filter feeding baleen whales may consume about 10 million pieces of microplastic per day, equivalent to about 96 pounds of plastic. Blue whales in Sri Lankan waters are especially vulnerable to plastic pollution, as this area is a major shipping lane and microplastics are used in product packaging, leading to an increased risk of exposure. Though the mechanisms by which microplastics harm whales are still under investigation, they can carry toxic materials, which may be a contributing factor toward increased blue whale mortality.

Entanglement

Marine organisms caught in fishing nets. Martin Stelfox. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Whales can get entangled in fishing gear, resulting in injuries and infections. Whales may also carry around tangled fishing nets for years, making it more difficult for them to swim and feed,and leading to exhaustion. It has been found that about 300,000 whales and dolphins die from entanglement every year. Entanglement is one of the leading causes of death for blue whales in Sri Lanka.

Shipping Accidents

Ships in Sri Lankan waters. NZ Defence Force. CC BY 3.0 NZ.

The northern Indian Ocean contains a major shipping lane, and this lane happens to be a large feeding ground for blue whales. Due to the overlapping use of this area by boats, many blue whales have been killed in collisions with ships. Within the last decade, there has been an increase of shipping traffic by 300 percent, with more than 200 ships using the lane in Sri Lankan waters per day. There are differing estimates on the number of whales killed by ships, but it is suggested that as many as 56 whales die this way each year.

Resolutions

Whale disentanglement training. Nicole Capps. CC0 1.0.

Change of Shipping Routes

There are currently efforts to relocate Sri Lanka’s shipping lanes to decrease harm done to whales. It has been found that by directing ships 15 miles south of the current route, 95 percent of whale fatalities in the area may be avoided. Organizations such as International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and OceanCare have requested changes in this shipping route. The major shipping corporation, MSC Group, has agreed to move these routes south in order to benefit the blue whale population. Although this action has now been approved, it was previously rejected by the former Sri Lankan government due to economic concerns.

Entanglement Response

There are current international efforts to save whales that have been entangled in fishing nets. The International Whaling Commission (IWC), which regulates whale hunting and preservation globally, provides training workshops on disentanglement, reaching over 1300 government representatives, scientists and conservationists globally. The Center for Coastal Studies also has a “Disentanglement Network,” where trained response teams visit popular whale feeding and calving areas to assist any possible whales-in-need.

Addressing Microplastic

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation, Environmental Investigation Agency, Humane Society International and OceanCare recently got the European Union push for the IWC to prioritize plastic pollution in its conservation efforts. The motion received consensus approval; all votes were in favor. Individual efforts against the use of plastic can help reduce its prevalence in the ocean, such as taking small measures like recycling, using reusable products instead of single-use, and avoiding beauty products that contain microplastic beads.

TO GET INVOLVED

Click here to donate to the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Click here to donate to Marine Life Studies.
Click here to donate to Greenpeace.

Alexandra Copeland is a student at The College of New Jersey studying psychology and journalism. She is a lover of coffee, dancing, and visiting new places. Being raised with her Greek culture has inspired her interest in cultural customs around the world. She is a passionate writer and hopes that her work will make an impact in the future.

Manaus: Capital of the Amazon

August 17, 2023

My visit to the Amazon’s largest and most contradictory city.

City of Manaus. Dennis Jarvis. CC BY-SA 2.0

My first guide in Manaus explained that when people think about a city in the middle of the Amazon, they expect the city to be wild and see snakes crossing the streets. The reality of the Amazon’s largest city, located in Brazil’s Amazonas Province, is completely different. This past May I spent one of the most memorable weeks of my life in this province. During that time, I did go deep into the Amazon, where I saw a tree Boa, a large snake. But, I also visited a beautiful pink opera house, a fish market, antique bookstores, fancy restaurants, the Presidente Figueiredo Waterfalls, and even the Ponta Negra Beach, which was lined with tall buildings that seemed to be hotels, just like any beach town you’d find in the US.

Me, in the Amazon outside of Manaus. Jeremy Giles

This city of over two million people borders both the Rio Negro and the Amazon River, and is the access point to reach many communities deeper within the Amazon jungle. It is also one of Brazil’s largest industrial centers, including businesses that have nothing to do with the rainforest it borders. In my experience, Manaus is a city unlike any other, and thrives off defying expectations.

The History

Manáos, Eduardo Ribeiro Avenue in 1909. National Library of Brazil, public domain.

Manaus was originally founded in 1669 as a Portuguese fort. By 1832, the fort grew into a town, and received its modern name, Manaus, meaning “mother of the gods,” from the indigenous Manaós tribe. Only 16 years later Manaus expanded into a city. Two years after that, it was officially declared the capital of the Amazonas province.

After the invention of cars in the late 1800s, Manaus became the center of the rubber boom due to the almost complete South American monopoly of rubber trees, which are native to the Amazon basin. This completely changed the city, as it became viewed as the gateway to the Amazon, and became home to many incredibly wealthy rubber barons. These ridiculously rich families had more money than things to spend it on, and began to focus on architecture, shipping materials all the way from Europe to build huge beautiful masterpieces, many of which still exist today.

By the early to mid 1900s the rubber boom had almost completely left Brazil, being replaced by rubber trees brought to Southeast Asia. This spelled financial ruin for Manaus, which sank into desperation. This poverty continued until 1967, when Manaus was named a duty free zone, making it cheap for companies to move there. This allowed Manaus to grow into the economic hub it is today, currently being a Brazilian access point for over 600 global companies.

The Amazonas Theatre

Amazon Theatre in Manaus. Rafael Zart. CC BY 2.0.

The Amazonas Theatre opened in 1897, carrying with it Manaus’ nickname “the Paris of the Tropics.” The opera theater was built almost entirely using materials imported from Europe, topped with a beautiful dome of Brazil’s flag.

At the time of its opening, the opera theater was in many ways a sign of all that was wrong in Manaus. It was built for Manaus’ uber-wealthy, using the money they made by exploiting the local population to harvest the rubber they sold abroad. Moreover, even the few who could enter the opera house valued the status it brought them more than the opera itself. The most expensive seats in the opera house were those that were the most visible to the public. Ironically, these spots actually had the worst view of the stage itself.

Today, the opera house, which remains a top opera house in the world, has come a long way from its imperialistic origins. Most performances at the theater are free, and those that aren’t are very affordable. The performances feature both local artists and acts from around the world. Moreover, to encourage all to join, a large screen is often set up in the plaza in front of the opera house, allowing as many people to see the performances as possible.

The Ports

Manaus market from the river. archer10 (Dennis). CC BY-SA 2.0.

In many ways, the center of Manaus is its ports. Manaus is bordered by both the Rio Negro and the Amazon River, allowing for a large number of ships and ferries, both for tourists and locals. These boats can take you deeper into the Amazon or out of it entirely, allowing ocean freight ships to transport goods directly to Manaus.

In addition, much of Manaus’ culture and nature revolves around the ports. A little over a half hour by boat from Manaus’ ports is the meeting of the waters, a line where the Rio Negro meets the Amazon River. This line is clearly visible with the water looking different and being a clearly different temperature on either side of the line.

On land, about a five minute walk from Manaus’ largest port is an amazing market “Mercado Municipal” that, every morning, is filled with different fresh fish, including some of the biggest fish in the world. My personal favorite of these huge fish is Tambaqui, a cousin of the Piranha and one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had. The fish is so big that its ribs are visible and alone big enough for a meal. In fact, I’d go even further to say that, to me at least, the ribs are the best part.

Amazon Rainforest

While Manaus itself is a big city, much of the land around it is still forested and filled with natural wonders. If you go an hour or two downstream on the Rio Negro, you will be greeted by intensely green trees on both sides which, in the right conditions, are perfectly reflected by the black water below you. In the wet season this water will rise several meters, causing many of the trees to jut out of the water itself. Just to note, climate change has caused the water to rise more now than in the past, however, the water rising multiple meters is a natural phenomenon and one that actually helps the trees survive.

When you’re surrounded by the trees you may start to be greeted by animals almost immediately. Howler and spider monkeys can be seen leaping from tree to tree, sometimes carrying their babies, and boas can be found curled up on branches. The water itself is dotted with caiman and different kinds of fish. The lucky will get to see pink river dolphins breaching the water’s surface.

A waterfall at El Presidente Figueiredo. Jeremy Giles

There is plenty to see around Manaus and in Manaus on land as well. Most notably, about an hour and a half drive from Manaus are the Presidente Figueiredo waterfalls. These waterfalls are all stunning to look it, with fast moving water from the Rio Negro. However, they do vary in size. The first waterfall I was unable to approach because it was too big. The second one was small enough that I was able to climb behind it.

The Rio Negro, or Black River in English, gets its color from the decaying vegetation that falls into it. Beyond giving the river a wondrous dark hue, this decay causes the river to be relatively acidic. While it is perfectly okay for humans to swim in the water, the same cannot be said for mosquitoes, who almost completely avoid the river. This is amazing for Manaus, which borders the Rio Negro, as the city has relatively few mosquitos despite being in the middle of the Amazon.

The Technology Industry

President Lula visiting a motorcycle factory in Manaus. Brasil em Mapas Brazilmaps. CC BY 2.0

While much of Manaus’ economy does revolve around the Amazon, the tech industry is actually one of the city’s largest. Brazil’s largest research and development Institute, the Sidia Institute of Science and Technology, is based in Manaus. Moreover, Manaus is known for its extensive motorcycle industry, producing over 1.4 million motorcycles in 2022.

Manauara Shopping Center. Naldo Arruda. CC BY 2.0

I’ve spent the past few days trying to think of what, out of everything I saw, best represents Manaus. I believe I’ve found it, but, like everything else with the city, it’s not what you would expect.

The Manauara Shopping mall is a huge and beautiful structure, with big glass windows lining the outside, seeming to connect the building to the world beyond its walls. It has more than 200 stores, which range from those selling wooden crafts and acai from the Amazon to big brands on national and international levels. The moment I remember most is when, after exploring the first three levels of the mall, my family decided to visit the basement food court. Going down the escalator, we saw the same glass windows from the front of the building, except this time, they were facing inwards. We walked towards a door under the hulking glass and through it outside into open space. I looked up and spiraling branches blanketed with green leaves towered above me, almost blocking my view of the night sky. I breathed in the air deeply, letting go of a tension I didn’t know I was holding. Looking back, in this moment, in a rainforest in the middle of a mall, I truly experienced Manaus most.

Jeremy is a Writing Seminars and International Studies major at Johns Hopkins University. He is an avid writer and the Co-Founder of Writers’ Warehouse, Johns Hopkins’ first creative writing group. He is an advocate for Indigenous rights, and studies how Indigenous philosophies can be used to help prevent climate change. Using his writing, he hopes to bring attention to underrepresented voices in today’s world.

Women at the Western Wall

August 17, 2023

This organization is working to break down traditional gender barriers to create a communal space for women and men to pray together at Jerusalem’s Western Wall.

The Western Wall Chris Yunker. CC BY 2.0

Located in Jerusalem’s ancient Old City, the Western Wall marks a central point of religious and spiritual life for millions of Jews, Christians, and Muslims across the world. The wall is believed to mark the only remaining structure of the Temple Mount, the place of the original Temples for the Jewish people, the first of which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE.

The Western Wall is also referred to as the Kotel, which is just the Hebrew word for “wall,” and as the Wailing Wall in reference to the manner in which the Jewish people wept at the site during the Roman domination of the Levant. The Wall remains a pivotal place of Jewish history and religious life, with thousands visiting the site daily and leaving prayer notes in the stone crevices.

However, in recent years, the Western Wall has also been at the center of religious debates concerning traditional gender separation. For generations, men and women have visited and prayed at the Western Wall in separate sections, the measures of which are not equal. Stretching just 12 meters in width, the women’s section 36 meters short of-the male side.

Women of the Wall

Woman praying at the Wall. it is elisa. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

An organization called Women of the Wall (WOW) is working to increase women’s rights and equality at the Western Wall. The organization’s first meeting occurred in 1988, with 70 Jewish women gathering at the Western Wall to join together in prayer and the Torah reading, where they were met with stark disapproval and verbal assaults from Orthodox Jewish men and women. The event led to WOW’s founding and beginning of its legal fight to empower women to pray at the Western Wall, going against Orthodox norms.

By drawing on systems of social advocacy, education and empowerment WOW is seeking social and legal acceptance of women’s right to wear prayer shawls and to pray and read aloud from the Torah. The group’s mission advocates for women’s right with regards to the four t’s: the right to say a prayer, or Tefillah, the right to wear traditional leather wraps, or Tefillin, that are inscribed with verses from the Torah, the right to wear prayer shawls known as Tallit, and finally the right to read aloud from the Torah.

Along with its advocacy work, WOW regularly gathers together in community at the Western Wall. The group commemorates Rosh Chodesh, a Jewish holiday that marks the new moon at the beginning of each month in the Hebrew calendar, with a collective morning prayer at the Kotel. The holiday is traditionally connected to a celebration of women, with origins dating back to the time of Moses when wives refused to give up their jewelry to build the golden calf, a symbol of sin and idolatry in the Torah.

While these monthly prayer gatherings are a means of celebrating Jewish women’s spiritual life and collective community, they are often met with violence and aggression. The women of WOW are often double searched at the entrance to ensure that they are not smuggling in a Torah, and the group regularly face physical and verbal aggression from the Ultra Orthodox community, an experience that often leaves them with scars and bruises after their day of prayer.

Members of WOW are accustomed to receiving verbal and physical pushback against their cause, and even being spit on by those who view their message as sacrilegious.

A Legal Battle

In 1988 the Ministry of Religion established The Western Wall Foundation, a government body responsible for the care and administration of the Western Wall. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch has served as chairman of the foundation since 1995 and has been known for his efforts to maintain traditional Orthodox customs at the Wall. Rabbi Rabinowitz has criticized WOW’s work in the past, including in 2014 when he spoke out against activists efforts to smuggle a Torah into the women’s section of the Wall.

In spite of women’s legal right to read the Torah, Rabbi Rabinovitch has created regulations that prevent women from bringing in Torahs into the Plaza. Furthermore, Rabbi Rabinovitch’s regulations prevent women from borrowing one of the 200 Torah scrolls kept within the Plaza, which are freely offered to men.

In April 2013, a decision written by Judge Moshe Sobell in the case of Israel Police v. Lesley Sachs, Bonnie Riva Ras, Sylvie Rozenbaum, R. Valerie Stessin, & Sharona Kramer, found that the Israeli Supreme Court’s 2003 case which prohibited women from wearing prayer shawls or reading from the Torah had been misinterpreted, and could not be applied to WOW. Judge Sobell also found that WOW had not endangered the public peace, nor had it violated the Law of Holy Places governing the Western Wall that demands visitors adhere to the local customs. Instead, the ruling dictated that local customs should be determined by the public through nationalistic and pluralistic lenses in addition to the Orthodox one.

The 2013 court decision helped spur ongoing discussions regarding communal prayer spaces at the Wall. In 2013, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed a committee chaired by Natan Sharansky to resolve the issue of communal prayer at the Wall. Sharansky proposed to extend the Western Wall plaza to an area known as Robinson’s Arch in order to provide a pluralistic prayer space for both men and women. The area can accommodate some 450 people, and was seen in many ways as a temporary solution to the question of mixed-gendered prayer.

In January 2016, the Israeli government approved a plan to set up a communal space in which both men and women could pray together. The plan will also give women who want to pray alone but not in accordance with Orthodox rules the option to set up a temporary barrier.

The new area is expected to double the size of the temporary communal prayer area set up in 2013 under Netanyahu, in order to accommodate 1,200 worshippers.

The fight for communal prayer spaces remains a contentious issue between Orthodox and Reformed communities. Although the plan for a pluralistic prayer space was passed by the Knesset, Israel’s legislature, in 2016, as of 2023 the construction and implementation have not yet begun. The issue remains a top priority for members of WOW, who will continue to pray at the Wall’s women’s section until a pluralistic prayer space is constructed.

Get Involved

Other organizations in Israel have come out in support of WOW and embraced a pluralistic perspective towards religious traditions.

Rabbi Danny Rich, a chief executive of Liberal Judaism, celebrated the decision for a communal prayer space as one that represented Judaism’s inclusivity. Through education opportunities, social action campaigns, collaborative interfaith work, and its provision of programming and library of historical archives, Liberal Judaism engages with social justice issues such as climate change, inequality, and poverty.

The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism has also praised the women’s representation at the Western Wall, as an exemplification of pluralism and diversity within Jewish community. The Movement seeks to increase the accessibility of progressive and pluralistic Judaism through education programming as well as legislation changes as part of their Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC). Along with their advocacy work, the IRAC offers resources and publications that engage with modern social issues through a progressive and religious lens.

On the Table: Sharing food Around the World

August 17, 2023

The tradition of sharing meals is a custom that transcends national borders and bridges generational divides.

Marketplace in Seychelles. UN Women. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Breaking bread has long served as a sacred means of creating community and connection. In the 18th century, the term for a “good friend” in Dutch translated to a “table friend.” Today, such an exchange of friendship is still an elemental ingredient to mealtimes. The settings vary across the globe, from pre-set dinner tables to park picnic benches, floor mats to swiveling bar stools. About a quarter of the world’s population does not sit nightly at a table, but rather gathers around a mat or stands balancing on a wooden plank in the midst of the mud in a market. But, no matter the gathering space, one aspect remains core to nearly all eating traditions: the manner in which food is shared is a ritual that celebrates the communal over the individual.

Sharing small bits of food is a human habit that anthropologists believe connects to a primal need to forge alliances through a sense of communal equality. Such a need has led to a kind of communal snacking culture, in which groups share nibbles of food. From spreads of hummus and babaganoush, to tapas of cheese and olives, to steamed buns of dim sum, communal eating habits around the world exemplify how the best meals are always shared.

Ethiopia

Communal eating is a central part of Ethiopian food culture and is aided with the use of Injera, a thin sourdough-risen flatbread with a spongy texture. Most Ethiopian meals are eaten with one’s hands and from a communal plate placed in the middle of the table. The left hand is considered unclean, and so the right hand is used for eating and ripping apart pieces of Injera to scoop up food. Traditionally, meals begin with the oldest at the table taking the first bite, a custom to indicate respect to elders.

The communal significance of food in Ethiopia is represented through a practice called the gursha: a form of hand-feeding, in which one will place a small morsel of food into another’s mouth. The gesture is usually first given to elders or guests at the meal and signifies a sign of respect, hospitality, and friendship.

Foods to try

Kitfo is a native Ethiopian dish made with raw beef. Similar to an American hamburger, kitfo uses Injera rather than a bun. The dish originates from the Gurage region of Ethiopia and is believed to have emerged from the Orthodox Christian tradition as a means of eating meat to break the fast after Lent.

France

French bakery. Hannah Wilson. CC BY-ND 2.0

French food culture is defined by a sense of intention and relaxation, with meals often lasting for hours at a time. The care characteristic of French culinary culture is exemplified in its “gastronomic meal.” The meal, which became a part of UNESCO’s List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, refers to a kind of dining tradition in which a large meal is prepared to bring family together. Elements of the gastronomic meal include its use of fresh local ingredients, its careful selection of dishes that represent a diverse spread of the country’s regional cuisines, an emphasis on food and wine pairings, an aesthetic table setting, and group conversation throughout the dinner. The meal is often a foundational element to birthday and wedding celebrations and follows a set structure. Starting drinks, or apéritif, begin the meal, followed by up to four courses including a starter, a main dish of fish or meat with vegetables, and a sweet dessert paired with cheese. The meal typically ends with a drink referred to as digestif. Digestifs are characterized by a high alcohol content and rich flavor, and include liquors such as Génépi, Cognac, Armagnac, and Calvados.

Foods to try

While French food is popularly characterized by its flaky baguettes, croissants, and delicate pastries, cuisine varies significantly depending on the region. Cheese and ciders are a popular part of dinners in Normandy, while ratatouille is a family staple in the country’s Mediterranean south.

The Loire Valley boasts bountiful grapes, cherries and berries that are used to make rich liquors and sweet fruit tarts, while the Basque Country pairs fish and meats with spicy herbs and sauces.

Mexico

In Mexico, community plays a central role in both the production and consumption of food. In an interview, renowned Mexican chef Margarita Carrillo Arronte described Mexican food as “a women's thing.” Arronte’s statement highlights a cultural tradition in which communal cooking and the sharing of recipes serve as a means of bringing women together, and a conduit for intergenerational knowledge. Dating back to pre-colonial times, the majority of cooks in Mexico have been women. After the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, a mix of indigenous, African, and Spanish cooks worked in conquistadors’ kitchens, where they developed a unique culinary blend. Today, some of the top Mexican restaurants have been opened and run by women chefs, the likes of which include Alicia Gironella de Angeli, Patricia Quintana, Monica Patiño, Martha Ortiz Chapa and Carmen 'Titita' Degollado. The State of Michoacán is especially known for its rich culinary life that centers the talents of indigenous female cooks, a status that got the state selected as the host for the upcoming VII Gastronomy Forum, in October 2023.

In 2010, Mexican food was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and recognized for its sense of community and collective participation. Local’s use of the milpa system allows for more sustainable farming practices. The system uses intercropping to allow for multiple species to grow in the same place. When it comes to eating practices, singular utensils such as grinding stones and mortars are used rather than forks and knives.

Foods to try

Corn is a prime ingredient of Mexican food, and serves as a base for a diverse range of dishes. Elote, or corn on the cob, is a typical Mexican street food drizzled in mayonnaise and lime juice, while atole uses corn as its base for a hot beverage that can be sweetened with vanilla, cinnamon, and guava. Mexican tamales which date back to the Aztecs, use corn masa as a dough that can be filled with beans, meats, chillies, or vegetables. The most popular use of corn comes in the form of tortillas, a thin pancake shaped flatbread that serves as a base for beans, meats, and fresh vegetables.

Korea

The philosophy of yak sik dong won, or “food is medicine,” lies at the heart of Korean cooking. Korean food culture revolves around a key sense of community and an appreciation of food as nourishment for the soul as well as the body. The sharing of banchan, or side dishes, serves as a key example of a communal eating culture. Banchan side dishes include vegetables, seafood, eggs, meats, and kimchi. Rich in fiber and probiotics, kimchi captures Korean culture’s understanding of food as medicine. The dish consists of fermented vegetables including cabbage and radish, mixed with seasonings such as ginger, garlic and spring onions.

Korean meals draw upon the concept of bapsang: the idea that a table is set up for shared enjoyment. Balance plays a key role in Korean meals, and spicy foods are often paired with more delicate and nuanced flavors, such as broths and rice.

Foods to try

Mandu is a popular Korean snack with traditional roots. Now a common example of Korean street food, the dumpling’s origins date back to the 14th century. It is believed that the Korean royal court frequently ate mandu that mimicked the shape of sea cucumbers as a way to represent the bounty of nature. The philosophy at the core of Mandu’s origins extends to its modern use as a staple of the Lunar New Year to represent future prosperity. The preparation of Mandu also incorporates the communal elements of Korean cooking, as families join together to fold the dough into craftful pouches for meats and vegetables.

Jessica graduated from Barnard College with a degree in English. Along with journalism, she is passionate about creative writing and storytelling that inspires readers to engage with the world around them. She hopes to share her love for travel and learning about new cultures through her work.

Frozen Glory: Inside the Eskimo-Indian Olympics

August 17, 2023

From cultural preservation to sheer athletic spectacle, the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics are a highlight of the Native Alaskan calendar.

An athlete competes in the blanket toss event at the WEIO. KNOM Radio. CC BY-SA 2.0

In the early 1960s, two non-Indigenous pilots who regularly made trips over Alaska’s rural communities kept observing the celebration of an interesting cultural event. This sporting event, as they later came to realize it was, dated back far beyond living memory and honored strength, resilience and endurance through a series of events meant to test the skills necessary to live in such an unforgiving environment. Given that Alaska had just recently become an American state in 1959, the early 60s saw the gradual encroachment of mainstream American culture into its more remote outlying communities, posing a serious threat to local traditions and practices. After the pilots shared their concerns with various groups in Fairbanks, the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics (WEIO) was officially born in 1961 and drew Native participants and spectators from around the Fairbanks area to participate on the banks of the Chena River.

The WEIO has grown significantly since then, with thousands of people traveling to watch the best of Alaska’s Indigenous athletes compete in the Big Dipper Ice Arena for four days each July. Aside from a minimum age limit of 12 years, there are no age categories for any of the events, which means that several generations of the same family can be seen competing against each other. It is also common for older and more experienced competitors to coach and advise the younger athletes during the competition: rather than trying to beat one’s opponents, the larger goal is to compete against and better oneself.

Athletes Sean O’Brien (left) and Chris Kalmakoff (right) compete in the Eskimo stick pull event. Erich Engman. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Many of the events, however, are still extremely competitive, and involve intimate face-offs between athletes. The Indian Stick Pull, for example, calls for athletes to wrench a short greased stick from their opponent, an event meant to replicate the grip strength necessary when trying to keep hold of a freshly caught fish by its tail. The Ear Pull is a contest of stamina to demonstrate the athletes’ ability to withstand pain, a valued trait in the often cruel conditions of the Alaskan North. In this event, string is looped around the opposite ears of two athletes as they face each other as they pull away in a tug-of-war with their ears until one cedes the match.

Other events are competed individually, but with just as much rigor and excitement. The Greased Pole Walk, as its name suggests, tests the balance needed for crossing creeks on slippery logs by having contestants walk as far as they can barefoot along a greased wooden pole. A favorite among both competitors and spectators alike, the Two-Foot High Kick requires competitors to jump vertically and kick a suspended ball with both feet before landing and maintaining their balance. Hundreds of years ago, villages along the coast would perform these kicks as a way to communicate to the village that a whale or some other game had been caught, and to prepare themselves to assist the hunters upon their return.

Athlete Ezra Elissoff competes in the Two-Foot High Kick final at the 2021 WEIO. Jeff Chen. CC BY-SA 2.0

Despite the popularity of basketball and ice hockey, the traditional sports seem to be gaining popularity among young children and teenagers, and are also contributing to the difficult task of preserving and passing on Native Alaskan culture. Miley Kakaruk, a 15-year-old athlete of the Inupiaq tribe of Northwestern Alaska, says that she imagines her ancestors competing in the same events centuries ago, vying to be chosen for their village’s next hunting party. Because each event is so heavily rooted in their history, younger competitors are able to learn the customs and stories that so heavily influence the culture and lifestyle of their people.

Equally important is the power of these games to forge a connection between athletes and society. Historically, studies have shown that Native Alaskans suffer from some of the highest rates of alcoholism and drug abuse in the US. A number of the people that the WEIO Board works with and recruits are young adults who are at risk of or actively battling addiction. According to Gina Kalloch, a board member and ex-athlete, discovering their culture through such a fondly practiced social tradition has allowed many of these people to develop a sense of pride in themselves and their culture, and helped to reorient their lives.

Native Alaskan women compete in the Miss WEIO Cultural Pageant alongside the athletic events each year. Danny Martin. CC BY-SA 2.0

While this year’s edition of the Olympics already took place between July 12 and 15, highlights of both the sporting events and the accompanying Miss WEIO Cultural Pageant are freely available on the internet.

Tanaya Vohra

5 Reasons to Visit Andorra

August 17, 2023

Here are some ways to enjoy the beauty and history of one of Europe’s smallest countries.

Andorra’s capital, Andorra la Vella. Tiia Monto. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Located between France and Spain, Andorra is a country of the Pyrenees mountains. The official language of Andorra is Catalan, yet many residents also speak Spanish, Portuguese, and French. With an area of 180 square miles and a population of fewer than 80,000 people, Andorra is one of the smallest countries in Europe. Though small, Andorra has much to offer, with sights and activities that make a visit well worth it. Here are five things to do when visiting Andorra.

1. Skiing

Grandvalira ski resort. Llull~commonswiki. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Due to its mountainous location, Andorra is home to great skiing locales. The country has three main ski areas, which are Grandvalira, Vallnord, and Ordino Arcalís. Grandvalira is the largest of the three resorts, with 130 miles of slope, most of that at the intermediate level. Vallnord has a ski lift connecting the villages of Arinsal and Pal, and you can try Speed Riding there, which is a mix of hand gliding and skiing. Ordino Arcalís is a smaller and less crowded resort. With its northern location, it produces the most snow of all of the resorts, and therefore has a longer ski season.

Exploring Andorra’s slopes is an unforgettable experience, but staying safe while adventuring is just as important. Whether you're carving through fresh powder or trekking its rugged trails, having the right travel insurance can give you peace of mind. SafetyWing offers affordable and flexible coverage, from emergency medical needs to comprehensive healthcare, all with built-in travel protection. No matter where your journey takes you, their Essential and Complete plans ensure you're covered every step of the way.

2. Visit the Mirador Roc del Quer

Mirador Roc del Quer. Roberto-g-rovi. CC BY 3.0.

At 6,417 feet, the Mirador Roc del Quer lookout provides a great view of the Pyrenees mountains. With 12 meters of the walkway being detached from the ground, it creates the illusion of walking through the scenic view. At the end of the Mirador Roc del Quer, there is a statue called “The Ponderer” by artist Miguel Ángel González. This statue depicts a man calmly sitting on a beam looking at the view, unbothered by the drop from where he is sitting. Whether it be for sightseeing or picture-taking, the Mirador Roc del Quer is worth visiting when in Andorra.

3. Tour La Casa de la Vall

La Casa de la Vall. Zinneke. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Built in 1580, La Casa de la Vall was originally built as a manor house for the Busquets family. From 1702 until 2011, it served as headquarters for the Consell General, which is Andorra’s parliament. Today, it serves as a monument that is open to the public. The first floor once held the Criminal Court, as well as the Hall of Lost Steps, a room with walls made of 16th century paintings. This floor also holds the Cupboard of Seven Keys, which has a key to each of the seven Andorran parishes, along with significant historical documents. The second floor of La Casa de la Vall was once an attic, but it was renovated to become a multipurpose area, often used for exhibitions.

4. Hike Rec del Solà

Within its mountains, Andorra offers many hiking opportunities. Beginning at the San Ermengol plateau, Rec del Sola is a five mile hiking trail connecting to the Rec del Obac trail. With an altitude of 1,122 meters, this trail passes through orchards and gardens, where local Andorrans grow vegetables. Towards the middle of the trail, there is a picnic area, where hikers can take a break and enjoy the view. Most of the trail is shaded from the sun, making it a great option for the summer season.

5. Visit the Museo Postal

The Museo Postal, or Postal Museum, exhibits the history of Andorra’s postal services. By foot and by ski, the museum shows the complete history of delivery methods in Andorra over the years. There are 50,000 Andorran stamps displayed, along with exhibits that show how these stamps were made and the process of mail delivery in Andorra today. The museum offers guided tours to guests, but visitors can also explore on their own with an audio guide.

Between the Cracks in Turkey: Exploring the Small Towns of the Crossroads of the World

August 2, 2023

Step off the beaten path and discover these six small towns in Turkey brimming with artifacts, natural wonders and rich history.

The beachtown of Kaş. Tutky Çetinel. CC BY 3.0.

One of the most renowned and well traveled cities in the world, Istanbul, peaked at 16 million tourists last year. The mosque- and artifact-riddled city attracts crowds that make it, for lack of a better word, a travel destination. Yet, some of Turkey’s most beautiful landscapes, edifices and history lie outside of its metropolis. Trek off the beaten path and journey to these six small towns in rural Turkey.

1. Safranbolu

Overview of Safranbolu. Ray Swi-hymn. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Once a trading center, this historic town is now home to many artifacts scattered throughout its ~390,000 square miles and among its three historical districts: Cukur, Kirankoy and Baglar. Some of its characteristic antiquities found in the Old Town include tombs, baths, mosques, fountains, and houses. Dive further into exploration with Safronbolu’s Old Mosque, the Old Bath, and the Suleyman Pasha Medrese, an Islamic religious institution, built in the 14th century. This UNESCO World Heritage site is worth discovering.

2. Kas

Rugs on a building in Kas. Julian Mason. CC BY 2.0.

This delightful beach town in Turkey’s Antalya Province doesn’t resemble the tourist-filled streets of the region’s eponymous city. Kas’s pleasant turquoise waters and lively color make the town stand out from Antalya’s busy, fast-paced life. While outdoor activities abound in this town — for example, canyoning is open to all travelers and day-long outdoor attractions like the Xanthos and Patara antique cities — a vibrant nightlife along the beautiful beaches awaits all visitors. Jazz clubs and rock bars alike welcome you to the wondrous city of Kas.

3. Iskilip

Rock tombs of Iskilip. Aerdemsenturk. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Just a 3-hour drive away from Ankara, Iskilip is another UNESCO heritage site on our list. This castle town’s epicenter is the Iskilip Castle, bordered by the town’s verdant mountains. While the Iskilip Castle is itself a site of historical importance, its base contains many Roman era tombs that are the real draw for many visitors. Iskilip is also a town of craftsmen; copper smiths, basket weavers, blacksmiths, cobblers, wood carvers and more set up shop in between houses, in houses, and everywhere in the town.

4. Midyat

Mor Sarbel Church. Senol Demir. CC BY 2.0.

In between the narrow cobblestone streets of Midyat lie ~410,000 square miles of artifacts, a structural chronicle of the past. The town, an hour drive from the Mardin province, houses unique sand-colored buildings. Among them is a series of religious edifices like the Ulu Cami, or mosque, with its characteristic minaret that towers over the surrounding buildings, the Mor Barsarmo Kilise, a church, and the Syrian-Orthodox Mor Sarbel church. Perhaps interesting, however, is Matiate, the official name of Midyat’s underground sites. Matiate is the largest cave system in the world, and is worth exploring along with the other wonders of Midyat.

5. Amasya

This small town, much like others in this list, is a site of historical gravity. Three historical structures frame and define Amasya. First, the Amasya Castle, located at the top of Mount Harsena, is the center of this riverside city. While the climb to reach the castle can be steep, the view of Amasya’s green river and quaint houses has no peers. Second, the Amasya Museum is home to 24,000 artifacts from Anatolia including great stoneworks credited to the Hittites, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. Lastly, the Pontic Kings’ Rock Tombs, sepulchers carved into limestone rock formations, remind visitors of the once great Hellenistic Kingdom of Pontus, a stalwart enemy of Rome.

6. Camlihemsin

A river in Camlihemsin. Serra Kiziltas. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Located near the Black Sea region of Turkey, Camlihemsin is the smallest of the towns listed here, with an area of ~340,000 square miles. Much of the appeal of this town is its flora and fauna: with stately trees and grass-covered mountains, the town is perfect for hiking and mountain climbing. Hilltops embraced by surrounding clouds beautify the landscape. Waterfalls such as the Palovit Selalesi, a frequent reward for long hikes, also grace the town. Of course, one particular large historical artifact — the Zilkale medieval castle located in Fırtına Valley — caters to nature-naysayers.