GO THERE! Hope you like stairs!

In central Burma, high atop Mount Popa, nestles the Popa Taungkalat Temple, a shrine to the 37 “Nats”, (spirits of the Burmese Buddhist faith.) It’s a popular place to check out during the full moon of Naylon, (May/June) when the Thingyan Festival is held.
Just be prepared; before ascending all 777 steps to the top, you will be asked to remove your socks and shoes. The Nats aren’t crazy about footwear. Also, don’t wear red. Or black. Or green. And definitely do NOT bring meat, especially pork. You don’t want to get the Nats all up in your face, do ya? Besides, the masses of local monkeys will harass you all the way up the mountain with that bacon in your pocket.

By Ed Brambley (originally posted to Flickr as Mt Popa) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Ed Brambley (originally posted to Flickr as Mt Popa) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

GO THERE! Desert getaway? Take your skis!

Curtis Palmer 'Ski Dubai panorama' June 20th 2007 via Flickr, creative commons attribution

Curtis Palmer ‘Ski Dubai panorama’ June 20th 2007 via Flickr, creative commons attribution

If you’re going to build a mall in the desert, you must always include an indoor ski resort.
Well, that’s how they do it in Dubai anyway…

Video Schmistory: January 8.

The week of January 8 in History Schmistory!

GO THERE! And you thought the holidays were over!

Grab your broomstick and pointy hat and fly out to Italy this Monday, the best place to be for the Epiphany

 

Cross_being_thrown_at_Theophany

Maggas at en.wikipedia [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

 

 

GO THERE! And take multiple sweaters!

Quebec’s Hôtel de Glace opens in 3 days. If, in these Wintery months, you find yourself in the mood for some icy opulence, this annual dwelling would be an excellent choice, albeit a chilly one!

History Schmistory: January 1. Here we go again!

Did you know that January 1st wasn’t the first day of the year until 1622?
More where that came from!