See the Statue of David in Florence

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'Souk' Up The Gold and Spice Markets of Dubai

Zephyrs of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and rose float past in the Spice Souk (Market) of Deira, Dubai; but there is a stronger scent thick in the air. In its diluted form, this fragrance calms and inspires the local Emirati people in the streets of Dubai. Frankincense, also known as Olibanum (Oil of Lebanon) to the Arabs, is the most popular product at the Spice Souk of Deira. Derived from the aromatic gum resin of the Boswellia tree, Olibanum has been traded on the Arabian Peninsula for more than 5,000 years. The crystals are burnt daily by local Emirati to release their lightly sweetened, spicy aroma, and it’s passed around after meals to perfume guests’ clothes and literally "smokem out" of their house. Trading since the ...

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Savour ‘101 Crustaceans’ at the fish market of Dubai

With the rise and fall of the sun each day, Dubai fisherman dock to offload their catch and head for the Deira fish market. They have returned from the Gulf where, buoyant in the mineral rich waters, there lies a deep history of fishing spanning countless generations, and thousands of years. Today, Dubai’s fishing industry depends upon the vibrant fish market of Deira. The chaotic splendor of this market ultimately provides a glimpse of Dubai’s everlasting bond with the sea. Since settlement, the people of Dubai have retained strong ties with the sea. Before the discovery of oil in 1966, the sea was a fundamental source of wealth, with pearl and fishing industries prospering by the end of the 19th Century. It is doubtful that ...

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Ascend the World's Tallest Building: Burj Khalifa

The theory that life copies art is evident in Dubai’s latest stunning project—Burj Khalifa—the tallest man-made structure ever built. The youthful Burj Khalifa towers above her predecessors. A giant among the “super-tall,” Burj Khalifa comfortably holds many other world records. Soaring at 828 metres tall, with 163 habitable stories, the building houses everything from residences, to corporate suites, restaurants and hotels. Burj Khalifa is iconic of the past, present and future of Dubai. Ingeniously marrying art and science, the Burj Khalifa embodies unity and progress in the Middle East. Inspired by the local Hymenocallis desert flower and Islamic architecture, its design stays true to culture and history of the region. Burj Khalifa owes its great height to the triple lobe structure spiraling skywards around its ...

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Visit One of the Sets for the Film New Moon in the Tuscan Southeast Town of Montepulciano

Filming for the intensely dramatic climatic scene of New Moon, the second film based on Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Series, was set in the Tuscan southeast town of Montepulciano. In a class of its own, Montepulciano’s star appeal looms long after the final cut. Among the fruitful and stunning landscape of southern Tuscany, the regally-perched hilltop town of Montepulciano houses a wealth of artistic heritage and architecture. Her 14th-century wall defends a treasure chest of Renaissance-style churches and palaces. Etruscan in origin, followed by a strong Roman presence, Montepulciano was fought over for centuries between the communes of Florence and Siena. This pristinely preserved Tuscan jewel remains unchanged for 400 years—earning her the appellation “Pearl of the 16th Century”. At her heart, Piazza Grande (Main Square) ...

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Baste in the Glory of a 650-Year-Old Tradition at the Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival

In the far northwest Turkish province of Edirne, it’s over 40 degrees at the height of summer, leaving competitors of the Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival, as well as the crowd, sobered by the heat. The ancient Ottoman drums beat slowly at first, and the sound mimics the heart rhythms of the two remaining wrestlers (Pehlivans) who are leaning brow to brow in a defiant arch. They are dripping in olive oil; naked save for a pair of water buffalo leather pants (kispet). On the spacious grassy arena, apply named “Field of the Brave,” the Kirkpinar Oil wrestlers occupy a small patch under the forgiving shade of an enormous Turkish flag. They begin, tactfully and swiftly, reaching for their opponents undergarments. Then, all at once, one ...

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