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Sunday Special – Xalapa, Mexico
We are nearing the end of the alphabet and are up to the letter “X”. Today we will go to the “birthplace” of the ever-popular jalapeño pepper: Xalapa(pronounced ha la pa) in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Yep, that spicy pepper has been cultivated in this highland state capital since the Aztecs. Used widely in…
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Sunday Special – Varanasi, India
India is a large country and quite varied at that. Although I spent nearly a month in India, mainly in the north and in Goa, I have longed to return to this place that brings a wonderful influx of sensations. The abundance of colours, the ongoing din of the streets, and the assault of smells…
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Sunday Special – Utah, USA
Happy New Year! I hope it has started well for everyone. Welcome back to the next Sunday Special. We are close the end of the alphabet, at the letter “U”. So today we’ll take a look at the American state of Utah. One of the the “Four Corners” states where Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and New…
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Sunday Special – Troödos Region, Cyprus
I like islands. In fact, my “happy place” is an island (that would be Ireland). I’d like to visit many an island in this world simply because it is an island. One of those is the Mediterranean isle of Cyprus. Today we will take a look at its Troödos Mountain Region which has some interesting things…
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Sunday Special – Siem Reap, Cambodia
If there was ever a town built around one tourist attraction it would be…Orlando, Florida. Because Disney World is huge. Things are built around it and cater to it. That is what I hear. And with that, what I say next may be considered sacrilege by many. Here goes: I have no desire to visit…
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Sunday Special – Réunion Island
A small island that is blessed with natural beauty is tucked away in the Indian Ocean in the shadows of Madagascar and Mauritius. This isle, known as Réunion Island, is located approximately 700 km / 434 miles east and 200 km / 124 miles southwest of Madagascar and Mauritius, respectively. As a French overseas island it is…
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Sunday Special – Carnival de Quebec, Canada
I could not let “Q” go by without showcasing Quebec, “la belle province”. On my list of places to see in my own country is the province’s capital of the same name: Quebec City/Ville de Québec (or simply Quebec) and it’s annual winter festival of Carnaval de Quebec. I want to meet Bonhomme, the mascot…
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Sunday Special – The Pantheon, Rome
I decided to round out letter “P” with an ancient landmark in the Eternal City – Rome’s Pantheon. This remarkable building has some interesting details, as one may expect from the best-preserved ancient Roman building within Rome. The current building was completed around 125 CE, during Emperor Hadrian’s reign. Two previous incarnations of the building…
