Author: Ana Catarina Palma Neves

Linguistic by trade, my previous experience in international relations and project management has been paramount to my dynamic professional path. Having worked in higher education, secondary education, sports, and in an NGO has allowed me to see the world in different perspectives and developed terminology in specific areas. Comparing different cultures in the world and decoding the true meaning of words (and other meanings that are given to them) is what drives me forward. Check my website where I discuss the meaning of words, "WORDS IN IDEAS": https://wordsinideas.com/

Tourism

Since the beginning of human settlements people have travelled from settlement to settlement for trade purposes. While doing business, these people would share new cultures, new languages, new views of the world. These merchants lived for travel and would always be on the move. Then, during Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, people started to travel for pleasure. They would go on a “circle”, meaning they would go somewhere and back again. However, these “tours” were only for a selected few.

Somewhere during the Middle Ages, the Grand Tour began to take shape. Members of the upper class got into the habit of travelling through Europe to educate themselves about painting, sculpture and ancient architecture. Each group of people would decide the length of time and the itinerary, often hiring a guide to accompany them. Paris and Italian cities like Venice, Florence, and Rome, were usually part of the trip. Switzerland, especially Geneva, was included in some of the most daring and intrepid journeys.

In the 19th century, due to the development of railways, the price of travel decreased and accessibility increased. This meant that people from the middle class were also able to afford to travel, making the business around tourism to flourish. The tourism industry was born and mass tourism followed. In fact, the travel agencies’ tours are a modern version of the Grand Tour, adapted to a large number of people and very limited in time. Nowadays, you would probably have to do several of these tours to make one old Grand Tour.

Today, many people are keen to distinguish between “tourists” and “travellers”. “Travellers” are those you want to meet people from different countries, who want to immerse themselves in the culture and learn about it. “Tourists” are those who just go and see what is presented to them. In reality, people who did the Grand Tour wanted to learn about art and ancient culture, but they did not wish to immerse themselves in the culture. They were known for criticising the “natives” and would only get along with their countrymen. Pretty much like tourists nowadays.

So, tourism has been around for a long time. It has evolved and now the possibilities are endless. People go touring for all kinds of purposes all over the world. There are pre-defined tours, but you can also plan your own voyage. Different budgets will provide you different trips to different destinations. For the same destination, you can choose different means of transportation, hotels, services. And, if you can afford it (in terms of money and time), you can replay a Grand Tour of your own making.

 

Key place: LONDON, UK | “The Cuckoo’s Calling”, by Robert Galbraith

Cormoran Strike is a former military policeman who lost part of his leg in Afghanistan. He became a private detective without much success and now he has a huge debt to pay. On top of that, he has just ended his troubled relationship with his long-time love and, as he lived with her, he now has nowhere to live. Therefore, he spends his nights in his own detective office. To make things worse, he found out that the temp agency he used to work with has just sent him a new temporary secretary without asking him. He doesn’t have any money to pay her, but he feels bad for her, as it is not her fault the agency got mistaken. He decides to employ her for the week she was promised.

Robin Ellacott has just moved to London to live with her boyfriend and she is looking for a permanent job. In the meantime, she is taking temporary jobs while she goes to interviews. Strike’s office is her most recent post and her first day there is also her first day as a bride to be; her boyfriend had proposed to her the night before. Although she arrives overwhelmed with happiness, the first impression of her temporary employer is not very pleasant and she can’t wait for the week to be over and leave.

London is the stage of all the action. Strike’s office is located in the trendy Soho, at the heart of the city. On the same day, the brother of his childhood, and dead, best friend knocks on the door to ask him to investigate the murder of his sister, which was ruled a suicide. The case has nowhere to go, but the client promises him a lot of money, enough money to pay Strike’s debt and the one-week salary of his new employee. He reluctantly accepts the case and heads to Mayfair, the city’s poshest borough, where the wealthiest people in the country, and maybe in the world, live.

Throughout the story, the reader follows Cormoran and Robin as they walk, and sometimes take the tube, around London to find out the truth about the affair. Not everything is what it seems and all details matter. During one week, the case gets solved and both our protagonists change their lives.

“The Cuckoo’s Calling” is the first book of a series by Robert Galbraith, the pseudonym of J.K. Rowling for crime fiction. After the huge success of the Harry Potter series, she wanted to write something different. She wrote “The Casual Vacancy”, a fictional story about the events that follow the death of a parish councillor in a rural town. This was a success, but what she really wanted was to write detective stories. However, she wanted to test if she was good enough, if her detective stories were not sold just because J.K. Rowling wrote it. So, she sent the book anonymously under the name of Robert Galbraith and got published. However, the journalists found out the truth and the sales of the books escalated. The freedom of anonymity is gone, but the series is solid and growing.

 

Key place: ITALY | Wine

Italy is one of the largest wine producers in the world and Tuscany is one of the largest and most prolific wine regions in Italy. Wine has been produced in this region since before the Roman Empire. Rome was not that far away (from Florence to Rome is about 217 km), and this region was ideal to produce the precious nectar that Romans loved so much. Therefore, wine production in this region boomed and it has never stopped since.

Despite all technological advances, producing wine is still an art. For starters, it depends on nature: rain, temperature, sunlight, bugs… and the type of soil is also important (which is different from region to region). That is why it is so important to know where and when the wine was produced. Exceptional weather results in exceptional wine whereas bad weather makes bad wine. Tuscany has good soil for growing grapes and also good weather conditions.

Choosing the right time to reap the grapes is crucial. Grapes transform acid into sugar, which will be later turned into alcohol. If the grapes are reaped too soon, the wine will be too acidic. If they are reaped too late, there will be too much sugar, producing a too alcoholic wine. Therefore, producers start tasting the grapes about a month prior to their harvest to decide the exact date of the big day. Then, people have to cut the grapes in a certain way and prepare them to be transported also in a certain way. All details matter because everything will influence the quality of the wine.

Wines are defined by their grape variety and by their type. The most well-known varieties are, for example, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Noir, but many more are available. As for their types, they can be white, red, rose, sparkling, or dessert. The distinction between the different types of wine comes from the process rather than the colour of the grapes. One of the best-known sparkling wines is Champagne, named after the region where it was originally produced. This wine is usually made with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. Porto wine is a dessert wine, named after a city near the region where it was originally produced (the Douro Valley). It can be made from a great variety of grapes, but the most common are the Touriga Francesa and the Touriga Nacional.

Lastly, the same wine can produce different styles, which depend on how long the wine ages and where this process occurs. Wine that ages in wooden barrels will taste differently from a wine that ages in other types of barrels. The time they age can also be decisive on the resulting style. After this process is considered finished, the wine is bottled. It is no coincidence that wine is bottled in a certain type of glass and closed with a cork. As mentioned above, all details matter. Finally, the way wine is stored also hugely influences the preservation of quality. Hence, the cellars.

True wine connoisseurs take all this information into consideration when choosing the right wine. And there is no “one” best of them all. It all depends on the purpose and personal preferences. Well, yes, there are annual awards for those considered “the best”. However, when choosing the right wine for your dinner, for example, there are many factors to consider. For starters, the type of food you are eating. In general, fish match better with white wine and meat with red wine. However, it all depends on the kind of fish/meat and how it is cooked…

Difficult? Well, yes, but with training and experience comes wisdom.  

Bank and Banking

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary the word “bank” comes from the Italian word “banca” meaning a table where money was exchanged. In early days of trading (meaning the early days of human settlements), people would exchange goods for goods directly. However, at some point, this became impracticable, especially when dealing with distant settlements. Thus, coins were introduced, which were usually made of gold and/or silver, therefore, their value was calculated based on its material. However, coins were different from place to place and people needed to go to the “banca” to exchange it. This process was very informal and usually performed by merchants, who used to travel a lot.

Then, people found that they needed a place to store their money, a safe place that is. And what safer place was there than the religious temples, guarded by the gods themselves?… Priests were soon lending money to people and robbery started to happen. Things became more serious during the Roman Empire, when buildings were designated especially for storing money and lending money became a common practice. Everyone could lend money and get it back, usually at very high rates. Those who engaged in such activities in small scales were called “usurers”.

During the Medieval Times and Renaissance, Italians consolidated their vocation for trading between themselves and the outside world. At the same time, Kings and Popes (and nobles, too) were increasingly resorting to debt to pay their grand projects. Back then, Italy was not a united country as it is today. The cities were independent and some of them, like Florence, were very rich. Using all their knowledge about trading, exchange of money, and lending, Florentine families, like Bardi and Peruzzi, founded the first official banks. Later, they were completely surpassed by the Medici, who founded what was soon the biggest bank in Europe. At this point, “usurers” were already looked down upon and the word became a bad name.

So, this is how banks of deposit (people needed to store money in a safe place) and exchange banks (people needed to change coins to pay for goods in other places) came to be. Banking activity came about with the necessity of people to get loans to pay for their projects in advance.

 
For more information about the history of banking:

 

Key place: ITALY | “A Room with a View”, by E. M. Forster

Lucy is an English middle-class young lady that visits Italy with her unmarried cousin Charlotte. When arriving in Florence, disappointment awaits them. They were expecting an authentic Italian hotel, but they find that the hotel is actually managed by an English woman and is full of English guests. In addition, they were given the wrong room: they specifically asked for a room with a view to the river, but they got a room at the back. This was the beginning of several misunderstandings based on English prejudices. However, Lucy discovers a whole new world inside of her that will change her perspective of the world. Something happens in Florence, between her tours around the city, which she will try to forget before returning home. Once there, she tries to go back to her former life, unsuccessfully.

E. M. Forster travelled extensively, especially through Europe. He also had a keen eye for people’s behaviour and was a sharp critic of English society, for his hypocrisy and class stratification. His writings reflected that so accurately that he was nominated for the Nobel Prize several times, but never won it.

“A Room with a View” is about the journey of Lucy, both to another country and of self-discovery. The book starts and ends in Florence, the symbol of such a change in her. All characters in the story have their own important role to play. There is a contrast between native Italians, with a free lifestyle, and English visitors, trapped in a meaningless life full of rules that they themselves struggle to follow. Also, there are English people from different classes and we are informed on the prejudices between them. Lucy wants to fit in, and she almost succeeds if it was not for a certain (impertinent?) young man.

The book was published in 1908, when it was fashionable for the members of the English high society to travel around Europe (and other members of the middle class, with money). In 1985, the book was adapted to the cinema, starring Helena Bonham Carter as Lucy and with the participation of Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, and Daniel Day-Lewis. There is also a 2007 TV movie based on the book.

Key place: PARIS, FRANCE | Le croissant

People can eat croissants at breakfast, in the afternoon, with tea or coffee, at lunch or as a snack, as bread or as a sweet. You can eat it by itself or add cheese, ham, butter, jam, cream, chocolate, spinach…. It is typically made with puff pastry (laminated dough filled with butter), which gives it that crunchy feeling we all love. Nowadays, there are different types of croissants, with different types of dough, but the shape is usually the same: a crescent shape.

“Croissant” means “crescent” in French. And “croissant” is a very typical French delicacy that has become incredibly popular. Except it was originally Austrian… and it only came to be in the 19th century, when an Austrian man opened a pastry shop to sell Austrian delicacies in Paris. These delicacies were based on a typical Austrian bread, with centuries of existence, which had a crescent shape.

No matter. “Le croissant” changed enough to become a French product that has been “exported” to the whole world and it is now quite different from that typical Austrian crescent bread. And, because food is always evolving and changing, croissants gave rise to many other similar delicacies, like the pain au chocolat. In truth, nowadays, you may find pastry called “croissants” without the typical crescent shape, but the spirit remains.

In literature, you can find some books with “croissant” in the title. Usually it is a romance, but it can be a rural crime mystery. However, most likely they are all set in France. There are also some references to croissants in films and TV series. Probably the “coolest” scene in the movies is when Meryl Streep (or rather, her character) bakes croissants from scratch.

 

Revolution

Probably the most well-known revolution is the French Revolution. This revolution was, in fact, a symbol of the collapse of the feudal system that took place throughout Europe at the time. The date of 14th July 1789 is usually referred to as the date of this revolution, but, in truth, the revolution began before that and ended much later, about ten years later or so. Can you pinpoint a precise date for a revolution? No, you cannot. In this case, the 14th July 1789 was actually the Storming of the Bastille, when the people that were fighting on the streets suddenly entered into the Bastille, which was a political prison at the time. Today is commemorated as the National Day in France.

A Revolution is, in fact, a long process that completely transforms society. In the case above, the feudal system was abolished and the monarchy ended, together with many other profound changes that occurred at the same time. This is different from a revolt, which is “to renounce allegiance or subjection (as to a government)” (Merriam-Webster dictionary). A revolt, or an insurrection, lasts less than a revolution and aims to a certain goal. It can succeed or fail when changing something specific. Some revolts could become revolutions (like the French Revolution, which began as a revolt, or several revolts, and grew until it turned into a real revolution), or at least they can have such a goal. If they fail in becoming a revolution, they are just revolts.

Revolts imply violence, but revolutions may not. For example, the Digital Revolution, which refers to the undergoing changes in today’s society from analogical and mechanical technologies to digital technologies, is not violent. Due to new technologies, the way we live, work, and are entertained is getting profoundly different little by little.

Then, there are specific types of revolts that can have certain names depending on the context. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

  • “REBELLION implies an open formidable resistance that is often unsuccessful.”
  • “UPRISING implies a brief, limited, and often immediately ineffective rebellion.”
  • “MUTINY applies to group insubordination or insurrection especially against naval authority.”

 

Key place: PARIS, FRANCE | “Das Parfum”, by Patrick Süskind

Paris, 18th century. 51 years before the French Revolution, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born in the most stinking place in the most stinking city of the most stinking Kingdom: a fish market in Paris. This is how the story of the most exquisite perfumer begins.

Grenouille has no body smell and, because of that, he is feared. People are not afraid of him, they just feel he is different in a completely and unbeknownst way and just keep their distance. No one knows, except Grenouille himself, that he has an enormous gift: he can smell and precisely categorise all the smells (good and bad) in the world. He can also detect the tiniest fragrance that has travelled from far away. For Grenouille, who has no moral values, only this gift matters. So, killing to acquire the body smell of a particular person is just a collection method, nothing more.

We navigate through this story of smells through fabulous descriptions and enumerations. First, we learn how he survived when all circumstances were against him, then we learn how, little by little, he discovered and developed his gift. In the end, his wish comes true and he becomes a perfumer’s apprentice. Well, not much of apprenticeship, as he already knows how to mix the smells to obtain the most marvellous perfumes. However, some of those techniques are going to be surprisingly helpful for him to advance in his exploration of his gift… and his final goal, which will have a dramatic ending.

Patrick Süskind wrote the book and there are films and TV series based on it, like the 2006 film with Dustin Hoffman as the perfumer master, and the 2018 TV series produced in Germany.

 

Key place: SIBERIA | Solyanka soup

Like most recipes, the origin of the solyanka soup is controversial (read here more about it here). It is believed it was a main dish back in the 17th century that turned into a soup in the 19th century. At that time, it became very popular, especially in taverns, and the way of cooking it was a hallmark of each cook. During the Soviet period, the soup was spread throughout the countries that were part of the Union, all the way to East Germany. Nowadays, it is still very popular here, with different versions according to the creativity of who cooks it.

Solyanka is a broth with many different ingredients and the ingredients that are added is what differentiates each version. Usually includes pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut, onions, and other vegetables, maybe potatoes and tomatoes, a lot of salt, fat and spices. Typically, it is a hearty soup with meat, but it can also have fish or mushrooms instead. However, it is mandatory to add sour cream when it is ready, just before it is served. Olives are also traditionally added.

The reason this broth was so popular in taverns was because it is great to eat together with vodka, and great to cure drunkenness (read here more about it) due to the quantity of fat it includes. Nowadays, you can find good choices in the supermarket, also as frozen food, but you still can find the best option in the restaurant.

 

Snow

For people who live in countries where there is not much snow or none at all, there is only snow and ice. Maybe we can add “frost”, the ice that forms in the early morning and usually damages crops. However, for people who live in “frozen” countries, recognizing different types of snow can be a question of life and death, literally. Therefore, people who live in countries like Greenland or within the Arctic Circle, have many more words for snow and ice, most of them may not even have a direct translation in other languages.

Snow is “rain” when temperatures are below the freezing point (0ºC). If there is no moisture, there is no snow, even when temperatures are really low. For example, in Antarctica, there are vast spaces called Death Valleys where there is no moisture, therefore, no matter how low the temperature is, there is no snow, ever. The level of moisture determines the type of snow and, ultimately, how dangerous it is. The temperature also influences as the ice crystals form differently under different temperatures. This is also true for ice, which, in a way, is a form of snow. Or better yet, snow is a form of ice. The difference is that snow is formed in air (hence, “frozen rain”) and ice is formed on the ground.

However, it is not only the level of moisture and temperature that determine the type of snow. There is also the snow that accumulates on the ground and then melts and then freezes again (hard-packed snow). The best snow for skiing is the snow that has just fallen when the weather is dry, but cold enough to freeze water (powder snow). Then, there are the types of snow that are more than one year old, but are still loose enough for skiing (firn snow). When this type of snow consolidates, it forms a glacier. Wet snow is a snow that is heavy with water, the best one for building snowmen. Drift snow is the snow that is “transported” by the wind and can cause avalanches.

 
Well, this is a very extensive subject. For more information, you can start by reading:

 

Key place: SIBERIA | “The Lost Pianos of Siberia”, by Sophy Roberts

Russians conquered Siberia between 1580 and 1778. In the meantime, in 1762, Catherine the Great became empress of Russia. This means that, when Catherine took the throne, almost all (and later all) Siberia was part of the Russian Empire. Under her ruling, Siberia acquired its status of “prison” and “exile”, but it was also invaded by a “piano fever”.

Sophy Roberts is a British journalist specialized in travel writing. When she heard there was lost pianos worth looking for in Siberia, she thought this was the perfect excuse to finally get to know this part of the world. What started as a piano quest, ended as a collection of stories about Siberia and the importance of music (and pianos) in the region. In truth, since Catherine the Great, music and pianos are entangled with Russian history and culture and it is impossible to talk about one without talking about the other.

This non-fiction book is a journey through time from 1762 to present days. Throughout its narrative, stories of pure horror go hand in hand with sublime stories of human endeavour. Catherine the Great was a huge fan of European culture and, in a time when pianos were the latest music technology, she adopted them and was the driving force to spread them to the entire Empire, even to the most remote and (almost) inaccessible places. At the same time, she was complicit with the slavery of her people and the use of Siberia for getting rid of dissidents.

Time passed by and dissidents kept rebelling and kept being sent to Siberia. However, these dissidents were educated people, with a love for music and the pianos. Therefore, when they went to exile, they made a point to take the pianos with them and educate people there. Then, during the soviet period, the state funded music schools to make the piano available to (literally) everyone. The “piano fever” gave rise to a whole piano industry for constructing pianos, fine-tuning them, learning how to play them, and enjoying them in every possible way.

Finding these old pianos was a journey to the most remote and isolated locations. There were amazing discoveries, great disappointments and also the possibility to connect people that loved the same pianos. Hearing their stories, the stories of the people connected to them, or simply the historical context in which each piano “lived” (and sometimes “died”) was the foundation of this book. Sophy Roberts was joined at times by the photographer Michael Turek. They also have a website dedicated to this book, where you can see some photos and videos, and hear some music played on a piano.

 

Key place: IRELAND | Guinness beer

Nothing speaks Irish internationally more than Guinness beer. This is no coincidence. Arthur Guinness was a visionary and he wanted to brew such a beer that would be internationally recognized as an Irish product for many years to come. Hence, the choice of a harp as the symbol of the brewery. Yet, this is not just any harp, it is the “Brian Boru” harp, which you can see in the Long Room at the Trinity College Library in Dublin. It’s a medieval harp that stood the test of time and became the true symbol of Ireland. You can find it as the symbol of the Irish Government (adopted after the independence from England in 1922) and on Irish coins.

Founded in 1759 at St. James’s Gate in Dublin, where it is still being brewed today, Guinness is the most well-known stout beer in the world. Originally, when Arthur Guinness took hold of it, St. James’s Gate was an ale brewery, but he decided to change that and started producing a type of black beer. The final formula obtained in those early days was so unique that it gave rise to the “Irish Stout” style. To this day, “stout” is the only type of beer produced by Guinness. Their diversity is restricted to this condition, and they do not have that much diversity. When it is perfect, you do not need to change anything, right?

Back in 1945, Sir Hugh Beaver was hired as manager by the Guinness family and he underwent several changes that took the brewery to the next level. One day, while he was hanging out with friends at the pub, he engaged in a fierce argument about which was the fastest bird in the world. A conclusion was not reached, but an idea was born: to compile facts in a book to solve these kinds of questions. As the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature, Toni Morrison, said, “if there is a book you want to read, and it is not yet written, then you must write it yourself”. That was exactly what Sir Hugh Beaver did. Well, he did not write it himself, but commissioned who did. That book was “The Guinness Book of Records”. The idea grew and grew and now is a yearly publication that confirms all kinds of records all over the world.

 

Folklore

The word “folklore” is a composition of two words: “folk”, which means “people” and “lore”, which means “knowledge”. Together they mean “the knowledge of the people”. In other words, folklore is the collection of all stories, music, rituals, traditions, and other cultural material that is informally passed from generation to generation in a certain region or within a certain people. A people’s identity is based on its folklore, which gives them a sense of belonging.

In Ireland, for example, folklore is deeply embedded in Irish identity. Although Celtics were spread all over Europe, Ireland is one of the regions where their culture remained, with roots that still feed the entire society. The Irish language, also known as Gaelic (the name of the Celtic branch that was settled in Ireland), is a Celtic language, the tradition of storytelling comes from the Celtic oral tradition, and the almost compulsory requirement for coming together to sing, dance, and play games was a Celtic custom.

Storytelling was crucial in a time when writing was not an option and there was a need to tell the great deeds of their ancestors. Nowadays, we can read what has passed in history books, which is written in a purely informative fashion. Back then, if the deeds were told in the same manner, those listening to it would not pay any attention. Besides, it would be very difficult to memorise everything. Therefore, stories were built, most of them based on mythology. This was also a good way to convey values, beliefs, and teachings. Today, this tradition is still prevalent and it results in amazing writers, poets, and playwrights.

After fighting wars and after the hard work in farms, Celtics would come together to have fun and relax. Music was extremely important to such a purpose, which would inevitably lead to a lot of singing and dancing. Celtics developed a very unique style, which everyone can identify today. Due to this tradition, it is still much alive, all Irish are in touch with these arts since their infancy and they start practicing them from a very early age, formally or informally. This leads to many professional actors, dancers, and musicians.

Sports were also very important as they were part of war training. It was a great way to keep fit and to train how best to beat the enemy… or defend the community. Celtics had their own games that are still played nowadays, with fierce competitions all over the country.

Rituals were also significant as they would determine the rules of living in community, hence the role of religion. Before Christianity arrived in Ireland, Irish people had their own religion, strongly related to nature and the seasons. For example, they would celebrate the arrival of spring, which established the beginning of sowing, and the harvest in autumn. These festivals, especially the harvest festivals, are still celebrated today.

Christianity was very well received in Ireland. Contrary to what happened in other regions in the world, the Roman Catholic Church did not erase the native culture to impose itself. Instead, the Catholic Church and the Celtic culture merged. Some rituals were replaced, but traditions such as storytelling, games, music, and dancing were kept. Nowadays, you find that Irish people are deeply Catholic and believe in Celtic mythology to the full.

 

Key place: IRELAND | James Joyce

You do not just read James Joyce; you become an Irish person that participates in the narrative.

James Joyce was a true Irish man, to the core. More specifically, a Dublin man. Although he spent his life running away from his homeland and his background, his work was all about them both. It was not by chance that he said “When I die, Dublin will be written on my heart”. Although he had lost his religious faith very early in his life, he was strongly influenced by his Catholic education, maybe even traumatised. Furthermore, his father led the family to poverty mainly due to his heavy drinking. Both these themes are greatly portrayed in his work.

“Dubliners” was his first published work. It took him almost 10 years to get it published and he had to endure multiple rejections. The book is composed of short stories, although the last one, “Dead”, may be considered a novella. Nowadays, this possible novella is considered a masterpiece.

Each story aims to portray people living in Dublin, going about their own lives. The topic is different in each one and there is no interaction between the characters of different stories. Although it seems that the narrator is just describing the events that are unfolding, in reality the author is making us go beyond that and pay attention to what is not explicitly said, to what the main character is actually hiding. The situation could happen in any other city, but the choices characters make (the actions they decide to take or the things they decide to conceal) are based on Irish culture and can only be justified under that light.

His second published work, “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man”, is a fictional story that portraits his Catholic childhood and shows how much it influenced him and his life.

His masterpiece is “Ulysses”. Based on the “Odyssey”, by Homer, it describes a day of Dublin life. Most of the action is seen through the minds of the characters and each chapter has its own literary style. The aim of James Joyce was to portray Dublin in such detail that the city could be rebuilt exactly as it was from his book.

James Joyce died in Zürich in 1941, to where he moved from Paris after Nazis invaded it in 1940. “Finnegans Wake” was the last work that was published when he was still alive and it is considered an experimental book, where he plays with words to an extreme. He also left an extensive poetry work and many other fictional stories were published after he died.

 

Keywords: ROMAN EMPIRE | Pasta

A mother or grandmother cooking pasta on the stove is a childhood image of all Italians. All mothers and grandmothers have their speciality and their unique way of cooking it. A family secret that should never be known to anyone, only passed onto the next generation.

Pasta is unleavened dough. Once ready, you can do the shape you want, by hand or using a machine. You can also stuff it with meat, vegetables, or any ingredients that you prefer. You can use it fresh or dry. If you don’t want to prepare it at home, there are plenty to choose from in a supermarket. And the receipts? Besides the traditional ones, like spaghetti Bolognesi and lasagne, you can imagine and re-invent all you want. You can boil it or cook it in the oven. In the Roman Empire, people used to fry it.

There is nothing more Italian and the quantity of pasta consumed per capita is not as high as in Italy. However, apparently, pasta came from Asia and “travelled” with nomads to Europe. Well, a primitive version of it, at least. Once in Italy, it evolved to reach the diversity and importance it has today.

Yet, as or even more important, is the sauce. Ah, the sauce… Here is really where secrets lie. Even the most basic one, the tomato sauce, can vary enormously depending on the other ingredients you add. And, of course, the source of the ingredients is paramount. The flavour is completely different whether they are fresh or not.

One day, someone thought that pasta was so good it should be a dessert… Back in the Renaissance, pasta was a food only for rich people and sugar was a luxury item. Therefore, putting the two together was a question of time. Nowadays, with cooking promoted to art, imagination is the limit. You can have ravioli with chocolate, cannoli with cream (remember the “Godfather” film), fried pasta that looks like cookies…

So, when you go to Italy, be prepared to be amazed … and fatter, probably (remember the main character of “Eat, Pray, Love”…). You can also try it at home and eat it while watching a Western Spaghetti film. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept, Western Spaghetti films were cowboy stories produced by Italians and filmed in Italy. They were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s and featured many famous Hollywood stars, like Clint Eastwood.

 

Empire

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, an empire is “a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority”. It comes from the Latin word imperium, meaning «“authority over family members and slaves exercised by the head of a household, supreme administrative authority, dominion, power exercised by a Roman emperor”, from imperāre “to give orders, exercise authority, hold political power” + -ium, deverbal suffix of function or state».

The Roman Empire was the second empire to exist in the world (the first was the Akkadian Empire), but it was one of the most effective. Starting as a Republic (from the Latin res publica, literally meaning “the thing of the people”), Rome was an independent city-state founded on top of a hill.

Battles with the neighbours were frequent. Julius Caesar, with his immeasurable ambition, became a member of the senate and an army commander, conquering many lands for the Republic. One day, he returned to Rome, but decided to take a legion with him, which was forbidden. The Rubicon River bounded the Italian domains within the Empire. Those who crossed it commanding an army were considered traitors and were sentenced to death. Julius Caesar knew this and he knew he could not go back on his decision after crossing the river. And so, the expression “crossing the Rubicon” (meaning “passing the point of no return”) was born. Julius Caesar crossed the river and civil war began. He took power and became a dictator. He was a dictator only for a few days… until he was murdered.

After some turbulent times, Gaius Octavius, the adoptive son of Julius Caesar, took the power and became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. He named himself as Augustus, the Latin word for “majestic” or “great”. He also adopted his father’s name, Caesar. From then on, although it was not written as law, it became tradition for sons to succeed their fathers and be named as Caesar, like the “founder”. This denomination stuck and evolved to “czar” in Russia.

However, this was not the only legacy they left us. Buildings, roads, bridges are still there to be admired or used throughout Europe, Middle East, and North Africa. Many languages evolved from Latin, like French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, and there are still Latin expressions in use (like status quo, alter ego, de jure, per capita, and vice versa, among many others). And speaking about Latin expressions, the law is full of them, partly because the current juridical system was based on the Roman one. Of course, we must not forget that the official names of plants and animals are also in Latin.

The Roman Empire, as such, ended in the 4th century. Since then, many other empires were born and died. Together with tales of grandeur, there are tales of atrocities and attempts to annihilate other cultures. For better or worse, empires change the territories they govern, but their end is certain.
 

Keywords: ROMAN EMPIRE | “I, Claudius”, by Robert Graves

Robert Graves was a poet and a writer. He also translated classic works and was a professor at the University of Oxford. His book “I, Claudius” was his most successful novel. It was written as it was Claudius himself writing it and it tells the story of the Roman Empire through his eyes, from his childhood to when he took office as Caesar. The events described were real, but the way they happened is fictional and myths and rumours were taken as real events. Assassinations, murders disguised as accidents, betrayals, conspiracies, and dubious and complicated family connections were hallmarks of the Roman Empire. You can find them all in this book, abundantly. When reading it, you feel like you are actually living in those times.

Claudius was a Roman Emperor, who was not supposed to have been one. He had a limp (thus the verb “claudicar” in some Latin languages) and a fragile health. He also stammered. Members of his own family, the Caesar family, despised him and kept him away from public gatherings. He watched 3 rulers come and go before he was called for duty when he was about 50 years old. The previous Emperor, Caligula, had murdered all male descendants of the first emperor, Augustus, but he spared Claudius for an unknown reason. Although there was not a written rule that a descendant would take the “throne” after the death of the Emperor, that was usually the case and, when Caligula was murdered, Claudius was the obvious choice.

The story begins with Augustus ruling. Born as Gaius Octavius, he was the successor of Julius Caesar and the first official Roman Emperor. He had a long reign, supported by his powerful wife Livia, who would literally do anything to keep her power. Claudius extensively talks about this couple because they kind of set the tone for subsequent rulers. In fact, all rulers up to Claudius, including him, were raised by them. As he tells his life story, how and why he became a historian and a writer, he also tells the story of Tiberius and Caligula, the two emperors before Claudius, from when they were kids to when they were murdered (and why and how they were murdered).

“Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina” is the second book of this short series and it tells the story of Claudius’ life as emperor.

 

Key place: BATH, UK | Sally Lynn’s buns

If the thermal baths, for which Bath is famous, began with the Romans, “buns”, which nowadays are a famous English delicacy, were invented by a French woman. Or so it says the shop where these buns were supposedly invented. In fact, the origins of Sally Lynn’s buns are not proven, but the “official” story makes sense. It says that Solange Luyon was a Huguenot, who fled from France to England in 1680 to escape prosecution. Arriving in Bath, she was employed by a baker and there she invented the bun, which was inspired by the French brioche. And, as English people have enormous difficulty pronouncing foreign names, she became Sally Lynn.

A bun is something between bread and cake. It is usually eaten with butter or jam, but it can also come with savoury toppings. Whether the story is true or not, the fact is that Sally Lynn’s buns are unique. Many have tried to copy it, with no success. Therefore, you need to go to Bath, UK, to try it. You can find them in one of the oldest houses in Bath, officially dated from 1482, conveniently located 200 meters from the Roman Baths. Actually, excavations have shown that food has been prepared in Sally Lynn’s place since the Romans. A small museum in the basement tells you the story.

So, when Bath turned into a famous resort in the 18th century, Sally Lynn’s buns were already well established and widely known, fitting very nicely in the new city concept. Everyone would eat there and probably ordered them to be delivered at home, for breakfast, for example. Jane Austen was one of those people and there is evidence that she really enjoyed them.

 

A glimpse of Bath

Visiting Bath is immersing yourself in the 18th century. As you walk through the streets, you can almost imagine carriages pulled by horses, people dressed in the latest fashion of that time… and gossip, gossip everywhere. Gossip about who had married who, and why; who had recently died, and who inherited the estate and the fortune; who had eloped with whom, and whose family’s name had been sent to the mud…

London was still London, of course, and “the season” was not complete without going there. However, Bath was the place to go. At least for those who wanted to be someone, but hadn’t got there yet. The competition with London was fierce, even though it was not even. A lot of investment was made to turn Bath into a great recreational resort. Three centuries later, the buildings are still there, with little changes in the scenery created at the time.

Why invest so much in Bath from all places? Due to its thermal waters. The Romans, those barbarians who tried to invade England and failed, were right after all. Before they were duly expelled from the country, they had time to build a grand thermal public building in Bath, which is still standing and fully operational nowadays. Hence the name Bath (where Romans would take their bath, publicly). Those barbarians knew what they were doing… The waters were indeed miraculous and everyone wanted to bathe in them and become cured from all diseases, real or fictional.

However, did people in the 18th century actually bathe in those waters and really became cured? After all, there was so little time for that, with all that gossip to be had, the shops, the afternoon teas, and the balls (oh, my goodness, the balls!) … It would not be surprising if people would forget about the thermal waters…

 

SPA

It is generally believed (in what it was, in fact, a promotional strategy) that SPA would come from the Latin expression Sanitas Per Aqua [health through water]. This is actually wrong. Spa is the name of a city in Belgium, known for its mineral water springs. However, those who love names that come from Latin will be happy to know that the name of this town was probably given by the Romans: sparsa fontana [scattered fountain].

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, SPA is «a mineral spring; a resort with mineral springs; a fashionable resort or hotel; (…) a commercial establishment providing facilities devoted especially to health, fitness, weight loss, beauty, and relaxation; a hot tub with a whirlpool device». This dictionary also mentions that the first time SPA was used with this meaning was in 1610.

So, a SPA was originally a mineral water springs resort, a place where sick people would go to heal. Healing was made by drinking or bathing in the waters of that place, which possessed special and unique characteristics, beneficial to health.

Romans were known for their love for public baths, where they would socialize and take care of their health. When spreading their empire throughout Europe, they were the first to find the best thermal spots. Since then, people have not stopped seeking such healing places. Probably the one in Spa, Belgium, was the most famous at the time and “mineral water springs resort” became “SPA”, after the town.

Nowadays, the concept of SPA does not differ much from the Roman concept. It is not just for sick people, but for all those who want to stay healthy and fit. Indeed, some Roman facilities would include gyms, like today’s SPAs. Although SPAs may not include water, the majority has at least a swimming pool. And, of course, just like in Romans’ time, people can socialize and relax together, with all kinds of social and entertainment activities included.

In 2021, to honour and emphasise the importance of SPAs in Europe, UNESCO decided to turn into World Heritage 11 towns specially known for their mineral water springs: the Great Spa Towns of Europe. After extensive research, the list is now composed of cities from Austria (1), Belgium (1, which is Spa), Czech Republic (3), France (1), Germany (3), Italy (1), and the United Kingdom (1).
 

Key place: BATH, UK | Jane Austen

Jane Austen is a world-famous writer known for her romantic novels. The love stories are the reason why most people read her books and why there are so many films and TV series based on them. However, that is not the reason why her books are considered brilliant. The descriptions (and somewhat criticism) of 18th century society are as accurate as they are timeless.

Creating stories since a young age, she only took it seriously when she was an adult. However, her sharp eye had been observing and her brain had been taking notes. By the time she wrote her six novels, her hands were ready to write what she had been processing. It is no coincidence that most of her books take place in the countryside or have main characters coming from the countryside: Jane Austen was born and raised in rural Hampshire. She also wrote stories set in Bath, a place where she hated to live. In fact, a few months before she died, she had started to write a new novel about a new SPA village, similar to Bath, as a critique to those people who went to resorts looking to cure imaginary diseases. Unfortunately, she only wrote the first chapter.

Her six novels tell tales of people who are living their lives within their communities until they get to know people from other communities. A kind of clash happens and love is born. However, this love is not possible for different reasons, but it usually revolves around money, prejudices, and social classes. Jane Austen masterly describes their struggles, how other people perceive their love story, and how everyone lives according to their own beliefs (and misjudgement of others). In the meantime, we learn about the drama that property law at the time could cause to families, the consequences of bad marriages, and how people would treat spinsters. There are also dishonest men and women who only want to marry for money. Family pressures their youngest to meet expectations or damages their prospects due to a certain reputation.

However, good people and good deeds are also present. Actually, it’s because of them that love triumphs in the end. Yes, love is strong, endures all difficulties, and overcomes all obstacles. Yet, it does need help and it does need people to defeat their preconceived notions. Maybe that is the message Jane Austen would wish to convey: focus on the essential, drop the absurdity. Nonetheless, she also stresses the importance of money. In fact, in her books, there are couples that married for love, but the lack of money turned that love into resentment.

In a nutshell, love is complicated and society is powerful.

 
The six novels of Jane Austen:

  • Sense and Sensibility (published in 1811)
  • Pride and Prejudice (published in 1813)
  • Mansfield Park (published in 1814)
  • Emma (published in 1815)
  • Northanger Abbey (published posthumously in 1817)
  • Persuasion (published posthumously in 1817)

 

Keyword: DESERT | Mint Tea

Tea is drunk everywhere in the world and there are many cultural ceremonies related to it in different countries, like the Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony in Japan, the Afternoon Tea in England, and the Maghrebi Mint Tea, in North Africa. All of these ceremonies aim to welcome guests and be a moment of relaxation and socialization with friends and family.

The Maghrebi Mint Tea is drunk in cities and also in the desert (everywhere, basically). Like all teas, it is made by pouring boiled water on tea leaves. More precisely, they are green gunpowder loose tea leaves (a type of green tea). Mint leaves are also added, especially spearmint, and a lot of sugar too. When serving, the tea is poured as high as possible and the remaining stays brewing in the pot. Each new cup is stronger than the previous one and each person should drink three cups, according to tradition.

It’s not clear how this tradition came to be, but clearly it originated from international trading as the tea leaves come from China. North Africans adopted this Chinese drink and made it their own, with some changes. Now, the Maghrebi mint tea is so deeply rooted in their culture that it seems it has always been part of it. Interestingly, this mint tea is prepared by men and men alone (at least, according to tradition). It is usual to see men at cafe tables drinking tea with their friends or even making business. In the desert, they make the tea inside the tents at the end of the day to relax and socialize.

As all teas, it takes a lot of practice to get it perfect. Furthermore, each tea can be unique as other ingredients can be added. However, everyone can do it at home provided that they have the green gunpowder leaves and the mint leaves.
 

Nomad

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a nomad is «a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place usually seasonally and within a well-defined territory». This concept applies, for example, to Bedouins, people that live in the desert, and Mongolians. The main reason why they move from place to place is because they herd animals (especially camels, in the case of Bedouins, and horses, in the case of Mongolians).

Nomads should not be confused with the merchants that used to cross the desert with goods to be sold on the other side. These caravans were very popular in the old days of the silk route and also in the Sahara Desert (think about the typical image of camels in line, full of goods attached to their back). While caravan merchants would go from one city to another, nomads would stay in the same place for a certain period of time, living in tents in the meantime.

Digital nomads modernised this concept. They too move from place to place and stay there for a certain period of time. However, instead of herding animals, they use technology to work remotely. And they do not usually live in tents, but in rented houses, although there are no rules in this respect. In fact, there are those who buy a camper van (brand new or an old one that they rebuild as they please) and literally move their house around.

The concept somehow expanded to also mean someone who roams without a purpose or a destination. However, this is different from a vagabond. A vagabond is someone who has no money, no professional occupation, and no place to live (they usually live on the street). Nomads have money and a profession, thus, they can pay for accommodation and supplies.

Being a nomad is not for everyone… but, then again, being in the same place doing the same things with the same people is not for everyone either. Before technology, people did not have much choice. If you were born into a nomad family, you would become a nomad, and if you were born, let’s say, in a farm, you would become a farmer. Of course, throughout the centuries, there were always rebels, people who did not accept their fate and would find a way to do what they really wanted (artists, mostly). However, nowadays, with new technology and the Internet, it gets easier to choose what you want to become. This does not mean that it is easy or without difficulties, for sure.
 

Keyword: DESERT | “Dune”, by Frank Herbert

After being postponed due to the strike of writers and actors in the USA, “Dune: Part Two” will finally open in theatres around the world this month. Both Part One and Part Two were adapted from the first book of the series “Dune”, which is the name of the first book.

Paul Atreides is the son of the Duke, who, by imperial decree, has to take a new stewardship: the planet Arrakis. The entire family has to leave their home planet, a water planet, never to return. Arrakis is a desert planet, also known as Dune, with nothing but sand, gigantic worms, and spice. Spice is what makes this planet so valuable and worms are the creatures that produced it by interacting with the sand. Needless to say that those worms are deadly and harvesting the spice is extremely dangerous. The previous steward of Arrakis, who was removed by the emperor, is extremely wealthy due to the spice harvesting. Why did the emperor transfer this stewardship, banishing the previous Duke from his home planet and drying his wealth source? And why has the arrival of Paul Atreides been so anticipated by the people of Arrakis? And what role will the Fremen, the native people of Arrakis, have in the story?

“Dune”, by Frank Herbert, is considered a classic of science fiction and a cult book for many. In truth, this is just the first volume of a series of six. Many topics are intertwined and its brilliantly-achieved complexity is what makes this book, and the subsequent volumes, so epic. Things are never as they seem and the story takes several unexpected turns over and over again. For example, at the beginning of the book, the Fremen are presented as savages who do nothing but terrorist acts. When Paul Atreides is forced to flee from the ducal palace, he must take refuge with them. We then learn how Fremen have adapted to life in the desert, their relationship with the gigantic worms and also how water is central in their lives. Fremen also have the project of transforming the desert into a forest, which is actually achieved in a later book of the series, but with devastating consequences.

Of course, the story is not just about survival techniques and mega projects. There is a rebellion in the making that will change the whole empire and a mysterious organization of women that will have a crucial role in the process. These women dedicate their lives to the organization and use all their craft (natural and learned) to achieve their goals.

Unfortunately, Frank Herbert died before he could finish the series.

 
The six volumes of “Dune”:

  • #1 Dune
  • #2 Dune Messiah
  • #3 Children of Dune
  • #4 God Emperor of Dune
  • #5 Heretics of Dune
  • #6 Chapterhouse: Dune