CHINA SERIES | Beijing: where east meets west

There is a huge avenue running from east to west (and vice-versa), whose midpoint is between Tiananmen Square and the Imperial City (which includes the Forbidden City). Besides these old iconic Chinese symbols, the avenue is full of modern buildings, the kind of buildings we are used to seeing in business districts in Western capitals. In reality, there are modern-Western-style buildings everywhere: airports, train stations, residential buildings, shopping centres. Wherever you look, it looks like you are in a Western city. Those who are expecting to see typical Chinese buildings, with the traditional roofs and characteristic doors, are going to be disappointed. Sure, there are palaces and temples from the old days, which are being preserved, especially for tourism purposes, but otherwise the city has been completely transformed.

The Imperial City, which includes the famous Forbidden City, was constructed at the beginning of the 15th century, together with the Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven, a religious sacrificial place, exclusively for the emperor, located about six kilometres south. All these constructions were made to accommodate the emperor in the then new country’s capital. Until then, China’s capital had been Nanjing, further south. In Beijing, the emperor, his wife, his concubines and all his staff would live behind high walls. The Forbidden City was full of buildings with different purposes and where only authorised people could enter.

Similarly, Chinese families were living in courtyards, that is, the rooms were accessible from a central private courtyard. Just like in Forbidden City, each family house was organised according to the cardinal points. For instance, both the emperor and the head of the family would occupy the northern part of the palace/house. During the 20th century, after the end of the emperor’s era, these “courtyard” houses were demolished to give way to Western-like tall residential buildings. A few neighbourhoods are still standing or were reconstructed, but are exceptions.

The history of China is full of this kind of destruction to construct better or different. The skyline of this city, as its name, has changed several times since it was founded. Back at the time of Marco Polo, this city was named Dadu and it was under the rule of the Mongol Empire. Its founder, Genghis Khan, was long gone and the empire was being managed by his descendants. Although the majority of the buildings from that time were destroyed, a few are still standing today, like the Bell and Drum Towers. These Towers are located near the Beijing Central Axis (Imperial City – Tiananmen Square – Temple of Heaven), whose urban planning was conceptualised in Marco Polo’s time.

Near Beijing, the Great Wall of China is a man-made wonder. It started as a small endeavour. Many, many centuries ago, warlords and rulers of the northern provinces felt the need to protect themselves from invaders coming further north, like the Mongolians. It did not work, as Mongolians invaded anyway. Truth to be told, at the time, the great wall did not exist, what existed was small walls built by each warlord or ruler. However, Chinese people do not forget and, once the Mongolians were expelled, they not only reinforced the different walls, but they connected them. Although the Great Wall is now continuous, there are sections constructed differently. Some are made of stone, others made of earth. Some are located in the desert, others follow steep mountains up and down.

Beijing is not in danger of being invaded anymore. However, just in case, China has modernised its military forces and every now and then holds a grand military parade on the avenue between the former Imperial City and Tiananmen Square. The Chinese armed forces may still use Sun Tzu teachings, like the high level of discipline of its troops, but they also study the Western tactics and have developed Western equipment. Interestingly, in the last military parade, despite the fact that it had shown great military power, they also pledged for peace in the world.

Actually, the Chinese government believes, and it is working on it, that only peace can bring economic prosperity and economic prosperity is what makes the government pay for their military power as well as assure the improvement of the population’s living conditions. Since China has adopted Western trade models, the economic development has been astonishing. Scientific development has also been astonishing. However, unlike Western societies, scientific development aims to support economic development. The Chinese government invests in what will be more profitable and, when it does, the breakthroughs happen at breakneck speed. For example, the investment in green and sustainable technology is deeply changing the country in a very short period of time. Furthermore, technology is being adopted by the entire population: it is not possible anymore to pay in cash or debit/credit card, only through an app installed on the mobile phone (which means, everyone has at least one mobile phone). The only people paying in cash are tourists in designated tourist shops.

Nevertheless, international economic development is dependent on international reputation and nothing shows how efficient and respecting other cultures a country is as organising big events like the Olympic Games. So, Beijing set itself to organise not one, but two Olympic Games: Summer Olympics in 2008 and Winter Olympics in 2022. They did not merely organise a flawless event, they planned jaw-dropping ceremonies and built iconic facilities. The Bird Nest (the National Stadium) and the Water Cube (the National Aquatics Centre) have become landmarks.

Has Beijing lost their cultural identity? Well, no. They are still following the same principles and Confucian teachings from thousands of years ago, but with new clothing.

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This article is part of the FOREIGN LANDS series

Foreign Lands aims to discuss the difference between languages and cultural backgrounds.

TRAVEL | Reinventing foreign lands in our imagination

Switzerland is all about the Alps, sanatoriums, chocolate, and cheese. In France, there is nothing else to do but to see the romantic Paris and eat haute cuisine. Italy was frozen in Roman times and only has pizza and pasta to taste. Portugal only has amazing beaches, good food, and friendly people. Nordic countries are cold in every way. And then there is Asia, which seems to be just one country full of Buddhist temples… and poverty. Africa is so poor, people still live in huts in the middle of the savannah, where there are lions, hyenas, hippos and giraffes. The Middle East is just desert. Latin America is Amazonia and the Caribbean is composed of exotic beaches.

These are just a few stereotypical perceptions Westerns, especially Europeans, have of foreign countries. Nowadays, local guides do their best to show all the beauty of their home countries, but even they sometimes fall into the marketing trap of giving people what they want… that is, what people have in their minds… that is, all the stereotypes they have been collecting in their minds. Is Paris really romantic? Is Inca civilization really lost? And what does it really mean “New York, the Big Apple”?

Before there was marketing (from the 19th / 20th century onwards), there were travellers who would roam the world and write their impressions about the foreign lands they were visiting. Usually, they were merchants looking for merchandise to buy, transport, and resell. They would follow routes like the Silk Roads. Even though they came into contact with people from different backgrounds, they were full of prejudices and their writings reflected them. Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant, travelled along the different routes of the Silk Roads for about 20 years, and conveyed his knowledge about Asia in a book that is still read 700 years later. His somewhat biased views have shaped how Europeans have perceived Asia.

Later, missionaries and colonialists have also provided a certain image of faraway lands. This time, the perspective was different. Europeans were imposing their culture throughout the world assuming that their culture was superior to all others. Therefore, since then, everything has been compared to European standards. Descriptions of uneducated people, weird traditions and behaviours, and odd constructions are still widespread in documentaries, films, stories… and marketing. All these distorted perceptions were so crystallised over the centuries that, when people go to those foreign countries, they expect to see what matches their perceptions. If there is not a match, people can get very disappointed, even demanding to see “the real country”.

Tourism began in Roman times, but it was in the 19th century that the idea of regularly traveling for pleasure was widespread (among rich people, of course, those who had money for that). After World War II, societies developed many inventions, infrastructures (like transportation networks), and better living conditions for their people. Workers have become entitled to paid holidays and packages to travel around the world grew and grew, especially recently with low-cost companies. Thus, the number of tourists around the world is now so great it is becoming problematic. Yet, although they can see other countries with their own eyes and make their own mind, many choose to keep seeing foreign lands with the outdated eyes of biased ancient travellers. Is it because it is easier? Is it because it is more comfortable? Is it simply because people travel to see what they have built in their mind as being true, and do not accept that their perception is wrong?

The world has changed dramatically. The Silk Roads closed in 1453, even though China is trying to rebuild it. Colonies have become independent countries, developing in their own pace and manner. Catholicism is no longer conquering the world, quite the opposite. The diversity of cultures and languages is being cherished. Europe is not the centre of the world anymore and their cultural superiority is being questioned. However, tourism wording still reflects the old times. Destinations are sold using descriptions of exotic and paradise places, and comparing them to European known places, or as luxury resorts built exclusively for tourists, in the middle of local extreme misery. The idea of traveling to other countries to see with their own eyes what they have pictured in their minds (fuelled by the images and the texts they have seen and read about the place), staying in hotels similar to the hotels they are used to in Europe, and eat similar food, is so strong that they get frustrated when they realise reality is very different.

It is difficult to let go of preconceived ideas on how the world is. Those beliefs help us make some sense of the world and give us a kind of safety feeling. However, it can also prevent us from discovering new wonderful things and realise that the other side may be as amazing (or even more amazing) that this one.

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Article: “Is it time to retire ‘Venice of the East’?”, by Tarang Mohnot (BBC)

** YOUR WORDS AND IDEAS **

By Isabella Muir | On 26 February 2026 at 13:24
Your observations are so true. Our own cultural experiences are so ingrained that it can pervade all our opinions about ‘difference’. Keeping a truly open mind is challenging, but ultimately, so very rewarding!

By Words in Ideas | On 26 February 2026 at 14:22
Thank you, Isabella! Yes, we don’t realise how much our cultural experiences are a hindrance for our open minding…

This article is part of the FOREIGN LANDS series

Foreign Lands aims to discuss the difference between languages and cultural backgrounds.

Keyword: ANTARCTICA | The crucial role of Antarctica

The story of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Coalition is one of success, but also of hard work, persistence, and resilience. It took them 13 years to be recognised as the right organization to defend the interests of Antarctica and to have a seat at the decision-making table. Founded in 1978, they fought against the powerful economic interests (whose parties were meeting in absolute secret in order to exploit the natural resources of this continent). They hit the streets with numerous campaigns to influence public opinion. And they won.

Bigger than Europe and Australia together, Antarctica is the southernmost continent on planet Earth. Home of penguins, seals, and whales (but not of polar bears and reptiles), humans are visitors for research and tourism purposes only. It is the coldest place in the world and is permanently covered in ice. It does not have trees, but has many mountains. The photos available are breathtaking and reveal a white desert, full of icebergs… and life. Although it may seem static, the landscape is always changing and there is always something happening.

Officially, Antarctica was discovered in 1820. There were some sights reported before, but no one ever dared to get closer until the middle of the 19th century. After some expeditions, adventurous explorers took upon themselves the mission to conquer that harsh place, giving rise to the “Heroic Age”. Between 1899 and 1922, pathfinders like Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton were immortalised in history. They were considered “heroes” because most of the time they were reckless and ill-prepared, but they went there anyway. Death was a reality well familiar to them. Scott died when trying to go back to base and Shackleton died of a heart attack during his fourth expedition. Amundsen died in the Arctic.

Later expeditions had more support and were more contextualised. Explorers were also better prepared and more conscious of what they were doing. Soon, research and scientific bases were established, sponsored by governments of different countries. The purpose ceased to be purely discovery and competition and turned into scientific aspirations. And due to the extensive research carried out, scientists have discovered the crucial role Antarctica plays within the huge system that is planet Earth: it is the global temperature regulator. As ice reflects more sun radiation than land or sea, this immense ice sheet helps avoid the planet overheating. Plus, its cold waters press warm waters to the surface and, together with the wind, make them circulate around the planet, balancing the ocean.

In 1959, twelve countries were claiming pieces of Antarctica’s land. However, instead of fighting between themselves for territory and resources, they recognized the value and importance of protecting this continent. Therefore, they decided to do something different and innovative: signing the Antarctic Treaty, committing themselves to protect this area in a joint effort. Plus, all research facilities would be available without restrictions to everyone, regardless of their nationality. Over time, 46 other countries have signed the Treaty and a Secretariat was created for administrative purposes.

Yet, good intentions are not always sufficient to enforce treaties. In the 1970s, Jim Barnes heard rumours that the parties of the Antarctic Treaty were negotiating between themselves the exploitation of Antarctic’s natural resources. As the meetings were secret and there were no reports, no one really knew what was going on. Jim Barnes decided to act and the first thing he did was to talk to Sir Peter Scott, the son of explorer Sir Robert Falcon Scott, who died in Antarctica trying to beat Amundsen in reaching the South Pole. Then, Barnes founded the Antarctica and the Southern Ocean Coalition and began his tireless work in the defence of this land and its natural inhabitants.

Their advocacy was based on campaigns that aim to both raise awareness of the general public and put pressure on governments and decision-makers. The Coalition not only revealed the secret plans, but also got an opportunity to talk to governments of other countries, forcing a debate at the United Nations level. It worked. The parties of the Antarctic Treaty were forced to cancel their Machiavellian schemes. Furthermore, the meetings have become more open and public and reports are now published. Everything changed. As more countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, more organizations joined the Coalition.

One victory at the time, the Coalition has become increasingly more relevant. In 1991, after many years of failed attempts, it was granted the Observer status in the Antarctic Treaty System. Nowadays, they work together with the signatory parties to make sure Antarctica remains unchanged. However, this task is getting more difficult due to climate change.

A major recognition of their work was achieved in July 2025 when the Coalition was awarded the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. Besides a medal, they were given one million euros to further develop their activities, which includes advocacy and public campaigns, and also research and education initiatives.

Sources:

The Silk Road great adventure: past and present

When Nicole Anna got married, she probably thought she would have a family life beside her husband. Maybe things went wrong with the marriage, maybe her husband did not love her enough, or maybe he just loved adventure too much. We do not know. The fact is that, as soon as she got pregnant, Niccolò left her and their unborn child and departed (ran away?) to Constantinople with his brother and business partner Maffeo. When the child was born in 1254, they were already establishing themselves in the new city, where they stayed for three years.

At that time, Venice was an independent republic and an international trade hub, intermediating commercial exchanges between the East and the West. Most (or maybe all) of its population was living from international trade, directly or indirectly. Nicole Anna had married a wealthy merchant from Venice and moved to his palazzo, where she ended up living alone, taking care of their child. If she hoped Niccolò would come home after setting up his trading post in Constantinople, she would be disappointed.

At some point, the situation in Constantinople went badly, but Niccolò and Maffeo did not return to Venice. They closed their business there and moved further and further East, exploring precious routes in the pursuit of many riches and new endeavours. By the time Niccolò finally came home, his wife had died and his son was already a teenager, with a good education that had been provided by his uncle and aunt. For some reason, Niccolò decided to depart again, but this time he took his son Marco with him. During the next twenty years, they travelled extensively all the way to China, India, and Indonesia. Besides setting up trading posts and doing business, they ran away from wars and served as diplomats to kings.

The return to Venice was not pacific. A war was being waged and Marco ended up in prison. There, he met Rustichello to whom he told his adventures in far away and exotic lands. Rustichello decided to write them down and the first and probably most famous book about the Silk Road was published. It was a bestseller at the time and made Marco Polo world and timelessly famous.

The Silk Road was, in reality, a network of different routes by land and by sea (these also known as spice routes) used by travelling merchants. The name was coined only in the 19th century and it referred to the most precious merchandise traded. However, many other goods were exchanged, some coming from the West and others coming from the East. For centuries, these trading paths were privileged ways not only to exchange merchandise, but also to exchange knowledge: linguistic, scientific, cultural, artistic, and even religious. Cities along these roads were full of life… and money. Beautiful and magnificent buildings were constructed, many of them are still standing, marking and remembering a golden period in time.

With so much happening in the East, it is no wonder that the Polo family was fascinated and drawn to this adventurous and diversified world. In comparison, life in Venice was quite monotonous, despite this city being at the time a very much cosmopolitan city. Rustichello’s book, nowadays named as “Marco Polo – The Travels”, reflects the image Europeans had about the East: strange, but seductive, full of exotic animals, of people with bizarre habits and beliefs, of rulers always at war with their neighbours. Yet, it also shows us respect for other cultures.

After 1,500 years, the Silk Routes were closed in 1453 by the Ottoman Empire. Europeans immediately started to look for another way to continue the trade with the East. Hence, the Age of Discovery and the many maritime routes to India, China, and Japan. In the meantime, they also found the Americas and a whole “new” world of opportunities was opened. This led to colonialism and the division of the world between the “developed” countries and the “poor” countries (the now ex-colonies).

Yet, the Silk Road is still a reference, especially due to its multiculturalism. The trade was made between merchants of different countries and different cultures with the only aim of getting the best deal possible. They did not have any political intentions or desire to dominate other folks. They did not have any power either. In fact, the routes were built by the travelling merchants, according to the conditions they would find.

Inspired by this, the government of China decided to revive the old network in a modern way 560 years later. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims to reconstruct some of the old routes by land (through Central Asia to Europe) and by sea (towards India and Africa) and build new ones, for example to Chancay, in Peru (America). The investment in infrastructures, namely ports and train lines/stations, in different countries is part of this strategy. Like in the Roman Empire, where all roads would lead to Rome, these connections aim to be linked to one major hub: China.

Contrary to the original Silk Routes, these paths are designed by a single country with national strategic plans in sight. Besides trade, China is looking to gain other advantages. Security is one of them, building military bases alongside the civil infrastructures. For example, the Djibouti port, strategically located at one end of the Suez Canal, serves both goals. Extending diplomatic relations is another objective. As China is willing to pay for the bills, it expects countries to be loyal to them. However, it is not just about infrastructures. China also provides other services, like healthcare. For instance, the Chinese Navy has a hospital ship (called “Silk Road Ark”) that travels through the BRI routes providing healthcare services for free. China gives back as much as it takes, in a win-win mentality.

When Marco Polo returned to Venice after twenty years, he had turned into a man of almost forty years-old. Contrary to his father, he got married and stayed in his hometown, becoming a wealthy merchant and raising three kids. If he lived nowadays, he probably wouldn’t leave his country for so long. There are airplanes and online conference services that make travel and communication much easier. He probably wouldn’t be an individual merchant, would probably have a company and sign contracts with other Chinese companies… and companies from other parts of the world. And he probably wouldn’t live in Venice, but maybe in Rotterdam. The way to do business and connect with other countries would be different, but the respect to multiculturalism would remain the same.

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In January this year, the island Santorini in Greece was shaken for a month by multiple earthquakes. Panic took over, especially because no one knew what was going on. Finally, scientists came up with the explanation.

Check the website daily to read the highlight of the day.

The amazing Amazon rainforest

Photo by Cesar Aguilar – Retrieved from Pexels

A rainforest almost as big as Australia, evergreen and full of life, the Amazon is as mythical as it is disputed. For natives, the trees, the rivers, and all the beautiful and abundant biodiversity are an extension of themselves; they are like family members. For foreigners, it is full of precious resources waiting to be exploited (whether legally or illegally); and land that can be transformed into agricultural fields or mines. For scientists, the Amazon is a fundamental component of the huge and complex system of Planet Earth’s operation.

Contrary to what is believed, the Amazon is not the lung of the world, the ocean is. In fact, the oxygen produced by the forest is totally consumed by the forest. Yet, if it were to disappear, the Planet would be unbalanced and it would probably collapse. Knowing this, the Amazon’s Indigenous peoples fight to defend their home and their family. They protect the rivers and the trees such as Westerners protect their children and their parents. Therefore, when Amazon is hurting, each member of each Indigenous tribe is also hurting. And they send the warning to those who are inflicting the wounds: sooner or later, nature will seek revenge.

Troubles started when Europeans first navigated the second longest river in the world (right after the Nile, in Egypt), back in the 16th century. Completely unaware of what they were going to find, they glimpsed a tribe of warriors that looked like women to them. If those Europeans actually saw a tribe of warriors or not, and whether they were women or not, it is not certain. However, rumours have it that this episode gave rise to its name: the Amazons were female warriors in Greek mythology, that may or may not be inspired by real women. Several stories were written, glorifying this women-only society, skilled in horse riding and arrow throwing, both fierce and feared. Both the river and the rainforest were named after them.

Forests know no borders and, although the majority of its area belongs to Brazil, Amazon spreads across eight other countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. This is a perfect ground for criminal activities, trafficking all sorts of illegal goods from one country to another, as it is not possible to keep watch at such an extensive border. The National Foundation of the Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI – Fundação Nacional dos Povos Indígenas) was created in 1967 with the aim to protect the native tribes, especially those who have little or no contact with the “external world”… and protect them from these criminals.

Bruno Pereira was a Brazilian national that worked with the FUNAI. He was collaborating with Dom Phillips, a British journalist, who had given up of everything to dedicate himself in the writing of the book “How to Save Amazon”. On June 5th, 2022 they both disappeared. The news hit the world and a search was carried out. Finally, it was revealed they had been killed by a poaching leader, exposing to the world the dramatic situation unfolding in some parts of the Amazon. This was exactly the reality Dom Phillips wanted to reveal in his book. He paid that effort with his life. Luckily, the book was almost finished when he was killed and it was later published. You can hear the whole story through the podcast “Missing in the Amazon” (check the link below), recorded by Dom’s colleague and friend Tom Philips. It’s a chilling story.

The destruction of Amazon is devastating at many levels and all the warnings seem to fall on deaf ears. Indigenous peoples have been shouting about it for decades and, despite few people in power actually listen to them, they do not give up. They shout a little louder, they manifest, they talk to people in power as many times as necessary. The interview of Wajã Xipai, an Indigenous journalist, to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres during the COP30 was one of those opportunities. Published in The Guardian, the article and the video is worth reading and watching (check the link below). At some point, the Secretary-General stated that “If I’ve learned anything from the Indigenous peoples I contact in so many parts of the world, it’s this concept (…) Of Mother Earth. Indeed, between nature and humanity there is a single family.”

It was not by chance that Belém was chosen to host the COP30 in Brazil. The Amazon is a symbol of the importance and the urgency of fighting climate change and respecting nature and the environment. It is ironic though that when a group of Indigenous people broke in to protest and demand to be heard, security had been reinforced after they were expelled (not in a nice way). It reflects reality as it is: people in power lock themselves in fancy rooms to discuss matters that concern the world population, but block the very people who know how to solve those problems.

We often take nature for granted. Just as the sun raises every morning, we believe the Amazon forest will always be there, unblemished. Yet, people from the so-called developed world often forget that we need to take care of what we cherish and if we fail to do that, everything comes tumbling down…

Sources / more information:

World Toilet Day seems like a laughing matter… but it is not! Sanitation is hugely important to keep our society clean and healthy. Where there is no toilet, there are diseases and other types of dangers. Fight for the right to everyone have a safe toilet everywhere.

Check the website daily to read the highlight of the day.

World Globalization

Every year, Heads of State and/or their representatives (for example, Foreign Affairs Ministers) travel to the headquarters of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) for the opening of its annual session. Besides high-level meetings and events, the week includes the General Debate, where all 193 countries integrating the UN have the opportunity to make a speech to the General Assembly.

In the UN General Assembly all countries are equal and each represents one vote. Of the 193 countries, 130 (67%) were colonized by European countries. Of these 130 countries, 45% (58 countries) were colonized by the United Kingdom (UK) and 18% (24 countries) by France. The other 48 countries were colonized by both, by other countries, or by more than one other country. To be noted that the UK and France are 2 of the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council and have the right of veto.

The General Debate speeches this year clearly shows a division between the countries:

Group 1

Group 2: Those defending peace (ending all conflicts through diplomacy) and thankful for the work of the UN, which have been helping their countries overcome their struggles and challenges (mainly related to climate change and the improvement of their population’s living conditions). They are fierce defenders of the UN, stating, however, that the seats at the table are unevenly distributed.

Colonization is still an open wound. Ex-colonies have many complaints regarding ex-colonizers, of interference in their sovereignty and financial aid that keeps them in poverty. However, these countries, that fought and successfully achieved their independence, are not giving up. They are finding ways (most of them as alternatives to those provided by the Western countries) to solve their problems. Organizations aiming at international collaboration are being established between them and funding in alternating channels is being sought for their innovative projects.

The United States of America (USA) is leading Group 1. In his speech, which lasted for 56 minutes, the President of the USA stressed the need for protectionism, threats, and war (both domestically and internationally). No country was spared: all of them were on a wrong path, according to him, especially in what climate change was concerned. He also stated that the UN was useless.

China, leading Group 2, made a point to contradict the USA’s statement. In 20 minutes, the Premier of the State Council of China advocated for peace, international cooperation, and the need to fight climate change. Although recognizing that the UN is in need of a reform, especially to distribute more seats to non-Western countries at the table, he reinforced how important the role of the UN is to the world. He also showed that alternatives to the Western rules and initiatives are being developed. In sheer contrast to the USA’s statement, China summarized their achievements on the path to peace, international cooperation, and fight against climate change. The Premier of the State Council said:

As a founding member of the UN, China has all along taken an active part in Global Affairs and worked for the betterment of humanity. Over the years, President Xi Jinping has put forward the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity: the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilizacional Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative.

The fact that Heads of State from 193 countries can make a speech at the same podium shows that the UN is a place where everyone can have a voice. Whether that voice is heard or not by the other countries is another matter. Countries from Group 1 do not listen to anything but their own voices whereas countries from Group 2 pay attention to everything everyone is saying… and they learn. Interestingly, the UN principles were set by the countries of Group 1, but they are followed and advocated by the countries of Group 2. Countries from Group 1 vowed never again to go down the very same path they are walking on now. And countries from Group 2 are warning them to leave that path and go back.

As it was repeated abundantly in the General Debate, this year marks the 80th year of the end of World War II and the establishment of the UN Charter. German Nazism and Italian fascism were defeated by France, Russia (then Soviet Union), the UK, and the USA in Europe (with repercussions to the rest of the world due to the colonies) and Japanese fascism was defeated by China in Asia (with repercussions to neighbouring countries). These victorious countries are the permanent members of the UN Security Council with the right to veto and the ones that created the UN Charter and defined the rules for its implementation and operation.

Since then, many countries were divided into more countries and many colonies gained their independence. In 1945, of the 193 current UN countries, 91 countries (47%) were still under the sovereignty of one or more founding members as colonies, protectorates or under a UN trusteeship. These countries have a total of 30,556,569 km2 of surface area, which correspond to 23% of the total surface area of all 193 UN countries (which is 133,663,404 km2).

Of these 91 countries, 67 countries (74%) were under the direct administration of the UK (45 countries, 49%) and France (22 countries, 24%). The other 24 countries (26%) were under the administration of the UK together with France and/or other countries, the USA (3 countries), or the direct administration of other countries. On the other hand, when the Soviet Union collapsed, 12 countries (6% of the total of the current UN countries) gained their independence. As the Russian Federation was the “heir” of what was left from the Soviet Union, in a way these 12 countries were under Russian administration. This means that 82 countries out of the current 193 countries were, in 1945, integrated in 4 (out of 5) of the permanent members of the UN Security Council. It corresponds to a total of 22,671,758 km2 of surface area, 17% of the total surface area of the 193 current UN countries

As we can see, the world has changed. Or, better yet, the political world has changed. Nature is still the same, resources are still in the same place. Yet, those precious resources have changed hands. Until 1945, the world was divided between those that would provide the resources (the colonies) and those that would transform the resources and get wealthier and wealthier. Now that the ex-colonies are independent, they are looking to learn how to transform their own resources and create wealth. And the wealthier countries are losing ground.

Of the 49 remaining UN founding countries (Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia gave rise to new countries), 22 countries are from America (45%), 12 countries are from Europe (25%), 9 countries are from Asia (18%), 4 countries are from Africa (8%), and 2 countries are from Oceania (4%). Now, in 2025, 54 countries are from Africa (28%), 47 countries are from Asia (24%), 43 countries are from Europe (22%), 35 countries are from America (18%), and 14 countries (7%) are from Oceania. It is obvious that the weight of African countries has shifted. Actually, the weight of African countries in the UN grew from 4 countries to 54 countries, which corresponds to a 1150% increase in representation. Oceania is the second continent with the greatest increase: from only 2 countries to 14 countries, it had a 600% increase in representation. Asia increased 422% and Europe increased 258%. America was the continent with the smallest increase: 59%.

Due to the loss of their colonies, the UK and France have considerably shrunk their territory and influence in the world. Their surface area is 242,495 km2 (UK) and 551,500 (France), which corresponds to 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively, of the total surface areas of all 193 UN countries. On the other hand, Russian Federation is still the largest country in the world (17,098,246 km2 of surface area, which corresponds to 13% of the total surface areas of all 193 UN countries), even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and it remains an important player in world politics. The USA is the third largest country in the world (with 9,833,517 km2, which corresponds to 7% of the total surface areas of all 193 UN countries) while China is the fourth (with 9,600,000 km2, which corresponds to 7% of the total surface areas of all 193 UN countries).

Therefore, the 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council (those with the right to veto) have together a surface area of 37,325,758 km2, corresponding to 28% of the total surface areas of all 193 UN countries. African countries have a total of 30,023,968 km2 (22%). If the surface areas of Oceania countries (a sum of 8,488,032km2, corresponding to 6% of the total) are added, then these two continents surpass the 5 permanent members of the Security Council because they have 29% of the total.

Europe includes the Russian Federation in its statistics. However, and considering that most of Russian territory is in fact located in Asia (Siberia), if we take out Russian surface area from Europe’s, the sum of the surface area of all other countries is 5,886,912 km2, corresponding to 4% of the total surface areas of all 193 UN countries. European countries, especially the UK and France, which used to rule the world, are now facing their real dimension. It is scary and it is no wonder they are trying their best to remain relevant. Unfortunately, their continued arrogance is not doing them any favors. In the meanwhile, the USA is relying on their wealth and military power to keep its hegemony, but the Russian Federation and, especially, China have already understood the figures. And the figures are saying that African countries, together with the islands in the Pacific, all the countries south of the USA, and China’s Asian neighbours are rising. Independence was just the first step. Now, they are climbing the other steps, regardless of having the support or the opposition of their former masters.

Sources:

The finalists of the Earthshot Prize 2025 have been announced. Founded in 2020, the Earthshot Prize aims to finance every year the best initiatives that effectively help tackle climate change and environment issues. It’s truly remarkable how many people are working to make the planet a better place for all of us to live in.

Check the website daily to read the highlight of the day.

The Foreign Lands’ Explorers go to Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is known for its special cakes and colourful districts. Looking at its peaceful, village-like streets, it is easy to forget that this city was once a centre of world trade and an important place during the Second World War. The best approach to get to know Amsterdam is to keep all types of preconceptions out of one’s mind and pretend one has never heard anything about the city, which was what the members of The Foreign Land’s Explorers tried to do. It was an intense week, full of fun and cultural knowledge. They didn’t change the idea they had about the city, but they expanded it. Amsterdam proved to be much more than they thought it would be.

The iconic image of Amsterdam

“When we think of Amsterdam, we think of bicycles. Ok, we also think of cannabis and the Red District. Michael is going to talk about that next. So, bicycles. Interesting story”, said Sophia before telling how the city turned green in transport, at the start of the presentation that The Foreign Land’s Explorers had prepared for The Intrepid Book Society.

Bicycles were invented at the end of the 19th century and promptly were adopted by Amsterdam’s residents. As the city doesn’t have hills, it was easy to cycle there, first for fun and then for transportation. However, after the Second World War, cars started to invade the streets and soon the streets were full of noisy and killing machines. “Killing” because many people, mainly children, were being killed by cars. The residents organized themselves to end the situation and pressed the government to protect its people. It worked. A new way of thinking urban planning was put in place and cars were driven out of town. Now, the capital of the Netherlands stands as an example that a greener alternative is possible, one that protects the environment and the people.

“Amsterdam has a great tradition to be open minded”, said Michael. “While the population were fighting to end car circulation and return to bicycles, the government decided to legalize the use of cannabis. The idea was to set apart the cannabis market from the markets for other drugs, focusing on fighting the latter. It went well for a while, but now the Netherlands is a drugs’ hub”.

Michael paused his explanation to answer the questions from the audience whether they had been to a coffee shop. He said they all had, except Elizabeth, who had preferred to go to a museum. When asked about how it was, Michael said that each one experienced it differently. Sophia thought she was dying, Leo was euphoric and thought he could do anything, Michael just relaxed and saw the world as a big SPA, and Jack went on talking to everyone.

“The acceptance of drug use is in line with Dutch awareness of how people really are instead of imposing the way people should be. They also realised that prostitution was a reality and there was nothing they could do to end it (they tried). The solution was to embrace it and legalise it, with conditions, of course. Prostitution on the street is forbidden, hence the windows where the women are exposed”, continued Michael. “Although the Dutch are very open minded, they also have strict rules, which visitors have to follow.”

Obviously, Amsterdam is not just about bicycles, cannabis, and prostitution. In fact, the city itself looks like a quiet but busy village in the middle of the countryside. Sometimes, it is hard to believe that it is the official capital of a country. Just be careful when crossing the streets: you might be run over by a bicycle. They would not stop because of you.

Engineering and architecture

“Amsterdam’s urban landscape is also very iconic. Its canals were built in the 17th century to supply the population with goods arriving at the port. It was a major, and hugely successful, engineering work and urban planning makeover. The canals were built as rings around the city and houses were added along them. The idea was to sail boats from the harbour to people’s doorsteps (literally). They are now UNESCO World Heritage”, said Jack.

The houses were also part of this significant change in town. Partly residence, partly warehouse, they were tall and relatively narrow. The living quarters were located upstairs, right below the attic. The ground floor was used as a store and, together with the attic, as a warehouse to store goods, not only for domestic consumption, but also for selling. Cranes were installed at the top of the building, where the attic was, to help take the goods from the boats to the house. At that time, the houses were bordering the canals, so the boats were moored right next to the houses.

People from Amsterdam have always been very pragmatic. They not only accept how people really are, and base their society on those premises, but also combine comfort with practical matters. During the 17th century, society was based on commerce; there was nothing else. Therefore, people had to live accordingly. Shops, warehouses, residences were all mixed together. However, that didn’t mean that symbols of one’s wealth were not displayed. Indeed, they were, abundantly. Each house was built differently, reflecting its owner’s wealth, power, and social status.

Nowadays, Amsterdam is full of modern and original buildings, reflecting how far imagination can go. Just as it did in the 17th century, today it is reinventing itself to keep up with the times. As the climate change becomes increasingly pressing, Amsterdam is invested in becoming a circular economy. Buiksloterham is a good example of those efforts. Yet, and as a way to celebrate its trade-related past, a futuristic business area is being built in Zuidas District, where the Valley building is its main star.

These are just a few examples of the modern architecture you can admire in Amsterdam.

Painting during the 17th century and beyond

“Art has always been extremely important in the Netherlands, especially painting and especially during the 17th century”, said Elizabeth. “As Dutch merchants were becoming incredibly wealthy, they wanted to show it in every way they could, including through portraits of them, their families and their sumptuous daily life, which was, at the same time, deeply rooted in Dutch culture and its values. As painters were earning a lot of money with these commissions, they engaged as well in other types of paintings, discovering new techniques. Thus, Dutch painters dedicated themselves to portrait life in its smallest details in cities and in the countryside, for example, a woman pouring milk to make a cake, people playing instruments in a party, military meetings, maids in a house’s courtyard.”

Inadvertently, these paintings turned out to be precious to understand how life was in those days. They also reveal a new and innovative trend where the play between light and shadow is explored and advanced. Rembrandt was a master of this technique. Born in Leiden, he soon moved to Amsterdam where he opened his first workshop. Successful and recently married, he moved to a new and grand house, which tourists can visit today and where we can see how painters used to work and how they would prepare the colours. Although Rembrandt was forced to sell this house some years later due to family and financial tragedy, luckily it was possible to recreate its intimate quarters and his studio as it was back then. His paintings can now be admired in the Rijksmuseum.

“However, there are other famous Dutch painters from that time, whose work can also be admired in the Rijksmuseum: Johannes Vermeer, Gerrit Dou, Frans Hals, Judith Leyster, Pieter de Hooch, and Jan Steen. The detailed scenes of people living their lives is best appreciated when looking directly at the painting. It seems the characters come alive and take us back in time”, said Elizabeth. “Way better than going to a coffee shop. I really don’t regret going to the Rijksmuseum instead.”

Vincent van Gogh, born and dead in the 19th century, is considered the second greatest Dutch painter, right after Rembrandt. However, contrary to Rembrandt, van Gogh has his own museum in Amsterdam. He had a very troubled life that took him from the Netherlands to London, to Paris, to Belgium, and back to the Netherlands and then back to France again. After trying and failing many professions, he finally realised he was an artist and dedicated himself to drawing and painting. And after much studying and discussing with other artists, he found his unique style. He worked industriously for years until he shot himself due to a mental disorder, isolation, rejection, and continuous failure. At the beginning of the 20th century, after his death, success came in the most astonishing way.

“Van Gogh’s paintings are explosions of colours that seem to be images of what was happening in his own mind”, concluded Elizabeth.

Brief history of seven and a half centuries

“In 2025, Amsterdam celebrates 750 years of existence. This means that officially the city ‘was born’ in 1275”, said Leo. “Back then, it was a village settled on the banks of the River Amstel. That village became a city under the lordship of the Count of Holland. Nowadays, Amsterdam is located in North Holland, a province of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.”

Due to its privileged geographic location, Amsterdam became a trading hub, with ships sailing as far as the Baltic countries, returning full of goods that would be distributed throughout Europe. These activities gained weight in the city’s economy, becoming its driving forces. By the 17th century, Amsterdam was already a city of merchants and, due to the colonies the Dutch government were acquiring all over the world, it became the commercial centre of the world. Precious merchandise arriving from India (like spices), the Caribbean (like sugar), and other places would be transported through the newly built canals to the merchants’ houses, especially built for taking the special cargos and storing them until they would be sold to European clients who were willing to pay a large amount of money for them.

The city was busy and wealthy, in a time of religious persecutions and political wars. Amsterdam became a safe harbour for artists and intellectuals seeking opportunities or refuge. Thus, many scientific and cultural breakthroughs were made. René Descartes, Baruch de Spinoza, and John Locke were some of the famous “influencers” that lived and worked there during this period. The Dutch Golden Age seemed unstoppable and endless. Yet, it did stop when other cities, like London, took away its role of commercial and financial world hub, and it did end when Amsterdam was invaded first by the Prussians and then by the French.

Nevertheless, that glorious century shaped the city and made it what it is today. A few centuries later, Amsterdam was finally thriving again when World War I broke out. Then, the Great Depression came, and, as this was not enough, World War II broke out. The Netherlands were invaded by the Nazi Germany and thousands of Jews were taken from the city. Probably many of them were descendants of those who had sought refuge during the 17th century’s persecutions. Anne Frank was among those who were taken to concentration camps and never returned.

After the end of the Second World War, Amsterdam was in need to recover again. And it did. However, everything changed again with the rise of social unrest. During the 1950s and 1960s, people went to the streets to claim important shifts in their lives. They succeeded in replacing cars by bicycles and witnessed their government liberalizing the use of cannabis and prostitution. This new open-mindedness, together with their talent for business, gave way to the modern Amsterdam that is now fighting climate change.

** YOUR WORDS AND IDEAS **

By Isabella Muir | On 28 May 2025 at 08:57
Thank you for a fascinating journey through Amsterdam, past and present. I visited the city many years ago and was struck by how open and friendly it was. I am always in awe of the way the Dutch – even the very young – have such a comprehensive knowledge of English – it puts many of us to shame!/p>

By Words in Ideas | On 28 May 2025 at 21:18
They learn English from primary school, the same as in the Scandinavian countries. For people who go there to live and learn their languages it’s actually an obstacle because the “natives” only speak in English with foreigners!

The religion, la religion, die Religion, la religión

“So, ‘religion’ comes from the Latin (what a surprise!), meaning ‘scrupulous, conscience, honour and loyalty’. This means that it was a kind of moral conduct that people would follow by worshipping God”, said Jack. “During prehistoric times, there were many deities, God and Goddesses, each one representing a natural phenomenon, a quality, or an activity. For example, there was a God for thunder, a Goddess for beauty, a God for war, and a Goddess for hunting. Later, it emerged other religions that focused on only one God. Religions tend to personify the gods, representing them as if they were human beings, so people can identify with them and better understand the message being conveyed”.

“Whatever the religion you choose, you need to have faith, which basically is a belief in something for which there is no proof”, said Sophia. “Latin-related languages distinguish between ‘faith’ and ‘belief’, but German and Nordic languages don’t.”

“That’s interesting. Why is that?”, asked Elizabeth.

“I don’t know, but this reminds me of the war between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestants. Protestant countries were the ones where there is no distinction. Maybe they are not very keen on believing in things without some kind of rationale”, said Sophie, shrugging her shoulders.

“Did you know that ‘Carnival’ was a big feast that Catholics would hold before the 40 days of penitence and fasting until Easter? They took the opportunity of that day to eat and drink as much as they could (especially meat) to endure the sacrifice that was coming”, said Jack.

“Fasting was only mandatory for those who couldn’t pay the fee to skip those duties…”, noted Elizabeth.

“Speaking of Christianity, when Jesus was alive, ‘bible’ designated a set of books that were bound together. I guess the other ‘bibles’ were lost or the term was glued to the importance of the book we now call the Bible”, said Michael. “It is interesting that the term has evolved to another meaning in slang language. When we want to say that one specific book is the foundation of a specific field of study, we call it the ‘bible’ of that field. For example, some say that the bible of economics is the famous book ‘The Wealth of Nations”, by Adam Smith”.

“Speaking of evolution of terms”, said Leo, smiling to Michael, “temple, as we all know, is the physical place where religious people worship God. Muslims worship Allah (that’s how they call God) in Mosques. Well, ‘mosque’ comes from the Arabic word masjid, which means ‘temple’. Minaret is the tall tower, which is part of the Mosque. The purpose of the tower is to call the congregation to pray. Catholic Churches have bells. The Muslim call for prayer is made by the Muezzin, who is the person who ‘sings’ at the top of the Minaret. They now have loudspeakers, so the Muezzin doesn’t need to go up there anymore. However, the Muezzin is not just anyone, he is chosen especially for that task due to its ‘singing’ qualities. Yet, he undergoes specific training after being chosen”.

“All Mosques are oriented towards Mecca because that’s where the Kaaba is located. Every Muslim is obliged to make a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime to walk around the Kaaba. This pilgrimage is called Hajj. The Kaaba is a huge black cube with nothing inside. It is a symbol”, added Elizabeth.

“When Muslims and Catholics were engaged in war centuries ago, Muslims called ‘infidel’ to Catholics, and to all who didn’t share their faith. Catholics called ‘heretics’ to everyone who didn’t believe in their God“, added Jack.

“According to Statista, in 2022, Christians represented 31.6% of the world population and Muslims 25.8%. The third biggest religion is Hinduism, representing 15.1%. Hinduism is the oldest religion still in existence and it is practised mainly in India. At the beginning, there were no formal rituals or organization, just a set of written documents, now dated thousands of years”, said Sophia.

“A kind of ‘bible’, then”, commented Elizabeth.

“The religious teachings were called ‘doctrine’, especially those from the Catholic Church”, said Jack. “Nowadays, ‘doctrine’ can be used in other domains such as politics, the law, or military”.

“Anything to do with ‘doctor’?”, asked Elizabeth, laughing.

“Well, actually, yes. ‘Doctrines’ were taught by ‘doctors’”, replied Michael, looking at his computer. “This word comes from Latin and it then meant ‘teacher’. At the time, a ‘doctor’ was an eminent scholar specialized in a field of study. Nowadays, a doctor is someone who has a PhD, which, in a way, meets its original meaning.”

“Ok, this is interesting”, said Leo, looking at his computer. “The word ‘sin’ comes from Old English, which is similar to another word that comes from Old German. Probably, it is a similar word in German and in Nordic languages. However, the English language has a word that comes from Latin and it is similar to the word for ‘sin’ in Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. You may have never heard of it, but you have surely heard the word ‘impeccable’, which means ‘flawless’. If ‘sin’ is something that goes against the laws of God, ‘impeccable’ is following the laws of God to the letter”.

“We could be here for a week talking about words related to religion and everyday words that come from a religious background. Unfortunately, it is time to go”, said Jack and everyone prepared to leave.

** YOUR WORDS AND IDEAS **

By Isabella Muir | On 26 May 2025 at 14:45
It’s fascinating to see the way so many of the topics you choose for your articles seem to mirror the topics of my studies. Just last week we were exploring the way that ‘religion’ is dealt with in historical research, and the difficulties with bias and subjectivity. Your article highlights the complexity of meaning – which is in itself full of subjectivity, as well as historical implications! What fun!

By Words in Ideas | On 27 May 2025 at 16:44
Yes, I think they are two fascinating and complementary perspectives: history and language! Combining the two gives new leads on what the future may be?

The Intrepid Book Society goes to Oslo, Norway

The Intrepid Book Society decided to organize a trip to Oslo, Norway, to get to know the hometown of the writer Jo Nesbø. Contrary to what was customary, the idea was not to visit the places where action took place in his books, but to capture the essence of the city that inspired him. The capital of Norway is a pragmatic city, made for people to live there. Yet, it has a few surprises in store for less well-informed tourists. Looking like a simple village, Oslo is peaceful and quiet. Yet, it is also full of life and activities. It preserves its history, yet it is modernizing.

“Ok, so, like in any other city, Oslo has upper-class boroughs and lower-class boroughs”, said Mr John Booklish at the airport. The group was waiting to board the plane, a direct flight to Oslo, and John thought it was a great opportunity to do a briefing. He continued, showing a map of the Oslo boroughs to everyone.

“Generally speaking, wealthy people live next to the centre (called Sentrum, coloured in grey in the map), on the west side. The people with less money (let’s put it this way) live on the east side. Middle-class people live north of the wealthy borough. It may not be exactly like this, but it’s a reference. Vestre Aker is also where many wealthy people live. It is situated on the top of a hill and it has an amazing view over the fjord. Plus, there is more space to build and it’s far from the city centre, meaning it’s quieter.”

Mr John Booklish took a break to give them time to process the information and take a look at the map. Then, he continued by saying which boroughs they were going to visit and what they were going to see in each one. Nobody really paid attention to what he was saying as they weren’t familiar with anything and couldn’t relate. After a short while, the boarding began and the briefing ended. It was a good flight and they landed in Oslo without problems or turbulence. Due to the fact they had arrived very late, they went straight to the hotel to have dinner and rest. The next day, they had to wake up very early to make the most of it.

Modern Oslo

Their reference point was the Oslo Central Station, which is where the Airport Express arrives and departs. Besides taking people to several cities in Norway, the trains also travel to Sweden and Denmark. Nearby, there are connections to the city public transports: buses, metro, and tram. The members of The Intrepid Book Society were going to catch the metro on Line 1 in Jernbanetorget station, located on the square in front of the Central Station main entrance. The Holmenkollen Line connects central Oslo with the district of Vestre Aker. Here is where some of Jo Nesbø’s characters live, like Roger Brown (from Headhunters) and Rakel, Harry Hole’s love.

While Jo Nesbø’s characters usually drive their own cars to get there, the Society’s members had the chance to climb the mountain by metro, which runs along a narrow line very close to the edge of the steep slope. Although a bit scary for the fearful ones, the journey provides a spectacular view. The train carriages are prepared for the show as they are equipped with many windows. They are also prepared to accommodate the skis of those who go up the hill to practice alpine skiing, cross country, or ski jumping during winter. The Holmenkollen stop was constructed very close to the Holmenkollen National Ski Arena, where the Society’s members admired the huge Holmenkollbakken (the ski jumping hill of Holmenkollen). Being at the very top was vertiginous, especially because they knew that there was nothing but air underneath.

Back with their feet on the ground, the Society’s members made their return journey to Sentrum, the central area of Oslo, and got out at Jernbanetorget square. If they walked for about 20 minutes to the east, they would reach the district of Gamle Oslo (“Old Oslo”), where the Grønland Police Station is situated, the work place of Harry Hole. Instead, the Society’s members walked towards the waterfront, to Bjørvika. Here, they admired the Opera House, an iconic symbol of Oslo. Built by the water, it seems it is emerging from the fjord’s depths. Its roof extends to the ground, inviting visitors to climb to the top. Once there, the view is magnificent. On one side, the Society’s members could see the fjord in front and, on the left-hand side, the new Munch Museum and some new development buildings. On the other side, at the back, they could see the Barcode Project, which consisted of several tall and modern multipurpose buildings.

“The ‘oldest’ character of Jo Nebø, Harry Hole, witnessed the construction of all this”, said Miss Martha Lovefeelings, gesturing around.

“Yes, he is like Oslo: an oldie entering the 21st century”, said Mr Jeremy Toughready.

“Tomorrow we will visit a castle that was built at the end of the 13th century, way before Harry Hole existed. The Akershus Fortress is situated on a hill and has served different purposes throughout the centuries: defence, prison, military base, and even the office of the prime-minister”, said Mr John Booklish.

“What are going to do for the rest of today?”, asked Miss Amelia Matterfis.

“Ah, I’m glad you asked! We are going to have fun!”, replied Mr John Booklish.

Everyone was happy to receive such great news. Not that they were not having fun, but that promised something special. Mr John Booklish remained mysterious and told them to follow him. They caught the tram to Aker Brygge, a modern area that mixed residence buildings for high-class people, marinas, shopping areas, and entertainment. There were many restaurants to choose from, but, before dinner, the Society’s members went to the Astrup Fearnley Museum of contemporary art, at the end of the street. It had an original design that perfectly blended into the environment.

Historic Oslo

The Society’s members woke up the next day very late in the morning and almost missed breakfast. As Mr John Booklish was expecting that to happen, he had planned a lighter second day: they would spend the day in the port area. Oslo was located at the end of the fjord bearing its name. Its inhabitants had built summer houses in many of the islands along the fjord, thus, there were boats parked in several marinas along the waterfront.

If someone was facing the fjord in front of the port, Aker Brygge would be on her/his right-hand side, the Akershus Fortress would be on her/his left-hand side, and Oslo City Hall would be on her/his back. It is in Oslo City Hall where it is announced the only Nobel Prize not awarded in Stockholm, Sweden: the Nobel Peace Prize. In front of Aker Brygge, in what was once a train station, the Nobel Peace Center tells the story of the award and provides information of every Nobel Peace Prize awarded. The Society’s members thought it was quite inspiring.

“Why is the Nobel Peace Prize awarded in Oslo while all others are awarded in Stockholm?”, asked Miss Amelia Matterfis.

“No one really knows. It was on Alfred Nobel’s will. He determined how the Committee should be composed, but no explanation on why the Peace award would be in a different location with a different Committee”, explained Ms Clara Smartest.

The Society’s members were talking about what they had learned at the Nobel Peace Center, about what peace meant in the world, and about how it related to the latest news while crossing the square in front of the port, passing the Fish Market and the City Hall, and heading to the Akershus Fortress. Once there, they were impressed by how well preserved it was. There were gardens everywhere around the buildings and a lovely park with a wonderful view to Oslo and the fjord.

One of the buildings was the Norway’s Resistance Museum. There, the Society’s members learned how Norwegians resisted the occupation of Nazi Germany. Despite the Royal Family having taken refuge in London, the Crown Prince, Olaf, never gave up on his people and played a crucial role in the fight against the invaders. When the war was over, he was welcomed with cheers by the population of Norway.

“You said it was going to be a lighter day…”, said Ms Johanna Practicewell when they were leaving the Akershus Fortress.

“Well, I thought it was. I mean, we didn’t leave the port area. And that’s all for today”, replied Mr John Booklish.

“Yes, but learning about the Nobel Peace Prize and the Norwegian resistance to Nazism during the Second World War in one day… it’s heavy. It reminded me of all the evil there is in the world”, said Ms Johanna Practicewell, thinking about her colleagues at the Doctors without Borders.

“You’re right. I guess I didn’t see it that way. But, then again, visiting a country is not only learning about the good, we also have to know about the bad”, said Mr John Booklish.

“Actually, the Second World War is the subject of one of Jo Nesbø’s novels: The Redbreast. What happened during that time is still a trauma for Norwegian people”, said Mr Matthew Barnepy.

The following days were spent exploring the Frogner district, where some of Jo Nesbø’s characters supposedly work or live. For example, Roger Brown (from Headhunters) opened an art gallery for his wife in Erling Skjalgssons gate, which is not far from where Olav’s boss (in Blood on Snow) lives, in Bygdøy Allé. Frogner is the city’s wealthiest borough and therefore the most coveted. London has Mayfair, Oslo has Frogner (maybe not so luxurious).

The Jo Nesbø’s character Harry Hole lives at a 15-minute walk north of Karl Johans gate. Karl Johans gate is the best-known street of Oslo and it is where the heart of the city beats. Located about 700 metres parallel to the port, it connects the Royal Palace and the National Parliament, and it’s full of shops, cafés and luxurious hotels, with a garden on the side. This is also where the National Theatre was built. All these landmarks were built in the 19th century. Built in the 18th century, the Frogner Manor, today the Oslo City Museum, gave its name to the entire district. Back in the day, the Manor included a garden that later became a park. Nowadays, this park is full of eccentric sculptures made by Gustav Vigeland, one of the greatest Norwegian artists. Vigeland was also the creator of the Nobel Peace Prize medal.

Like Berlin, Oslo also has a Museum Island. Except, in Oslo it is not an island, but a peninsula, and it is not exactly situated in the middle of the city centre, but not very far from the port. Besides, it is much bigger and you can hike, cycle, swim and do all kinds of outdoor activities there, including yoga. As for the museums, they are:

the Viking Ship Museum, with authentic Viking ships;
the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, with real houses from all over Norway from different periods of history;
the Norwegian Maritime Museum, with the history of shipbuilding and maritime technology;
the Fram Museum, with the polar exploration ship that went both to the Arctic and the Antarctic;
the Kon-Tiki Museum, with the balsa wood raft used by Thor Heyerdahl to cross the Pacific Ocean.

By the end of the trip, everyone was tired, but very happy. They went to Aker Brygge to have the last dinner in Oslo, sharing impressions and showing their pictures.

** YOUR WORDS AND IDEAS **

By Isabella Muir | On 30 April 2025 at 12:12
Ah, the wonderful city of Oslo. I had the pleasure of visiting it several decades ago and it sounds from your description that any changes that have occurred since then have only been positive!

By Words in Ideas | On 01 May 2025 at 21:33
They are recuperating key spaces in the city, but in a thoughtful way. It is remarkable!

The family, la famille, die Familie, la familia

Family is a classic topic of every language learning syllabus. The members of “The Foreign Land’s Explorers” approached it the usual way initially, but they wanted to go further. So, they made a new table with terms related to family, but which were not learned in regular language classes. They built a table, knowing it was just a reference. Each word should not be taken as exact equivalents to the other languages. Once they had the table, they constructed the same sentences in every language, for example: “the spouses become parents and constitute a household with their offspring”.

“Ah, ‘offspring’ in Italian is ‘prole’”, noted Leo. “Did you know that ‘proletariat’ comes from the Latin word ‘proletarius’, which means someone belonging to the lowest (and poorest) class that would only be considered as ‘citizen’ if they had children? I guess ‘children’ here would mean labour force or soldiers. Therefore, ‘prole’ in Italian comes directly from the Latin word meaning ‘children’”.

“Sometimes people don’t realize how much Latin language has influenced European languages, all of them”, said Elizbeth. “For example, ‘adoption’ is similar in these languages and comes from the Latin word ‘adopto’, which is the combination of ‘ad’ and ‘opto’. ‘Ad’ means ‘to’ and ‘opto’ means ‘choose’. So, basically ‘adoption’ is ‘to choose’”.

“I may be wrong, but it seems that word is the only word here in the table to come from Latin in what German, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish are concerned”, noted Sophia. “Interesting that ‘offspring’ in Nordic languages is ‘of coming’. Well, in English it has a similar meaning: getting out of where they were made. Like the rivers that leave the place where they were ‘born’ and run until they reach the sea. They ‘come’ from somewhere.”

“Knowing where you come from has always been very important. Look at Royal families. Being part of a Royal family can determine if you will lead the country or not, whether you want it to or not”, said Elizabeth.

“Some Kings have renounced the post, so it’s not inevitable. But, yes, for them, it is something that is always there, since childhood. And they are also pressured to have a ‘prole’, a male heir to the throne and some ‘spare’ male children, just in case something happens to the oldest. It’s not exclusive for poor people, although it is different, of course”, added Michael.

“Poor people provide the labour force in sequence. Rich people build dynasties to rule the poor people. It is the system of castes. Once you are born in one, you have to play your role regardless of your wishes”, said Elizabeth.

“That is not entirely true nowadays”, said Sophia. “Royals can now marry commoners and commoners can aspire to climb the social ladder”.

“Dynasties still have weight in society. Being a son or a daughter of an important family is always a mark, even if that person follows a different path”, said Michael.

“Ok, remember I told you that we use more Latin-based words than we realize? Well, I checked the word ‘dynasty’ and it is actually a Greek word, although it was stolen by the Latin language’”, said Elizabeth.

“Let me see”, said Michael, looking at her computer and starting to read. “It says that a dynasty is ‘a succession of rulers of the same line of descent’ and it gives China as an example. Then, it says it can also be ‘a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time’. It meets what we were saying, I think”.

“Royal families are a reference. They are a symbol of continuity, tradition, and identity”, said Sophia. “That’s why they are so important for people. People see them as the leaders of the nation. It’s no coincidence that the countries’ history timeline is told through dynasties, especially in China. They say ‘this was done during this Dynasty’. For example, the Great Wall of China was constructed during the Ming Dynasty. You need to know when they ruled to know the respective period of time. In Europe, you talk about epochs, like Ancient Times, Medieval Times, Renaissance.”

“Well, in Europe, history is also made of dynasties, although they are named ‘Houses’, like in ‘The Game of Thrones’”, said Elizabeth and laughed. “For example, the House of Habsburg was one of the most influential families in European history. In the UK, the House of Tudor is one of the most famous Royal families due to King Henry VIII and his six wives. The current UK’s Royal family is the House of Windsor. And, of course, there were prominent families that didn’t belong to any Royal family, like the Medici, who ruled Florence for many years”, said Elizabeth.

“In the USA, they also categorize their history periods according to presidential administrations: the President Obama’s administration, the President Biden’s administration…”, noted Michael. “Actually, the story of the name ‘President’ is curious. When the USA became independent, they had to choose a name for their Head of the State. ‘King’ was suggested, but they didn’t want to give ideas of grandeur to a man who should be feeling humble. So, they decided to give him the name of ‘someone who chaired meetings’. They thought it was humble enough. Not any more”.

“Well, they also have dynasties of some sort there, like the Bushes and the Kennedys…”, said Leo. “Like the Medici, these families became powerful after they had become very rich.”

“In the end, money rules the world. And, sometimes, the families who have it”, concluded Jack.

** YOUR WORDS AND IDEAS **

By Isabella Muir | On 30 April 2025 at 12:08
Some very interesting insights into the meanings of ‘family’ – a term that has changed significantly over the centuries. Nuclear families (often blood relatives) contrasts with ‘blended’ families, where a wide range of relationships come together. It would be interesting to explore how ‘family’ contrasts with ‘community’ – both can be supportive networks, but both can be just the opposite!

By Words in Ideas | On 01 May 2025 at 21:19
That would be very interesting, yes. “Blended” families is a good term – maybe in future “blended” will replace “nuclear”?…

Ms Clara Smartest in Morocco

In 1917, during the First World War, the writer Edith Wharton was invited to visit Morocco by the French Governor of the then French protectorate. She travelled around the country for a month, witnessing traditional events, admiring historical landmarks and meeting women who were part of the Vizier’s harem. Back home, she wrote a book, which was intended to be the first tour guide book of the country. It is a Westerner’s view of what was then considered the “Near East” (meaning North Africa). Edith Wharton fiercely and openly defended French governance and implicitly criticized some Arab practices. For example, she described the women of the Vizier’s harem as prisoners and unhappy and the ceremonies she witnessed were deemed primitive.

After reading the book, Ms Clara Smartest decided to travel to Morocco to get to know the country a century later. What she found was a surprising country, rooted in its traditions and accepting modernity on its own terms.

Marrakesh

When in Marrakesh, Edith Wharton stayed at the Bahia Palace, which nowadays is a museum open to the public. It was built in the 19th century as the private residence of the Grand Vizir of the Sultan, who worked and lived there with his wives, his concubines, his children and many slaves. Before being occupied by the governor of the French protectorate, the Palace was the residence of the Grand Vizir’s son. After the independence of Morocco, the King lived in this Palace for a short while before he decided to transform it into a national monument.

Ms Clara Smartest walked freely through the labyrinth of majestic rooms and courtyards. Although there was little furniture, Ms Clara Smartest could easily imagine how it was to live in such a place. For the Vizir, it was like living in the “One Thousand and One Nights” fairy tale. However, for the women who were part of the Vizier’s harem, and as Edith Wharton mentioned in her book, the Palace was a prison. A beautiful prison, with charming fountains, decorated with lovely tiles, and with interior courtyards and gardens, but a prison such the same. A world apart from the outside world.

Outside, the city vibrated to the rhythm of its beating heart: the Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Several streets full of stores, where people often had to give way to passing motorbikes, flowed into (or from) this huge square. Its true dimension could only be appreciated in the morning, when it is empty. Throughout the day, traders gradually arrived and set up their stalls, where they would stay until late night. Early in the evening, the square was already full of snake whispers, monkey owners, fruit sellers, clothes and shoes retailers, food and spices merchants. Everything could be found and bought here. After the sun came down, performers from different arts would entertain bystanders.

Ms Clara Smartest immersed herself in this improvised maze of street vendors and let her senses be overwhelmed. Later, she learned that this market has existed since the 11th century and remained pretty much the same. Travelling merchants from several regions of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East used to converge there to do business and exchange information, turning the square into a melting pot of different cultures. Due to these long-lasting traditions, Jemaa el-Fnaa became a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in the 21st century.

The square is located inside the Medina (the old Arabic town), a UNESCO World Heritage site, and was built next to the Kutubiyya Mosque, whose minaret tower looks at the market from above. On the other side of the tower, Ms Clara Smartest found a lovely long garden with a grand fountain at the end, reminding her of the importance of oases, water and plants in the middle of the Desert. Earlier, she had been given the opportunity to visit the Jardin Majorelle, the exotic garden created by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, with plant varieties from all over the world, and protected by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. As Ms Clara Smartest confirmed, gardens are different in countries with deserts. They are more exuberant, with lively and ever-present fountains.

Edith Wharton had also visited the Saadian Tombs, which, at the time, had been recently discovered by the French. The Saadian family ruled Morocco in the 16th century and, to make their power recognizable for centuries to come, they built a majestic mausoleum similar to a palace. There are rooms where family members are buried, full of beautiful tiles and elegant columns, among small gardens and scenic pathways.

Atlantic Coast

Travelling caravans, composed of camels loaded with goods to be sold or exchanged, have always been a typical image of the Desert. As Morocco is situated in a privileged geographical location, connecting North Africa and the Sahara Desert with the Atlantic Ocean and Gibraltar (the closest point between Europe and Africa), it is not surprising that European powers were eager to take hold of this land. The Roman Empire was the most successful, but then the Arabs invaded the region and kept Europeans out for centuries. Nevertheless, Europeans greatly influenced the Morocco Atlantic coast by building ports and doing business.

On reaching the coast, Ms Clara Smartest noticed how different the cities were compared with Marrakesh, located inland. While Marrakesh was connected to the desert and to oases, cities like Essaouira and El Jadida (both UNESCO World Heritage sites) were connected to the sea and fishing. Essaouira (formerly named as Mogador) became an important international trading port by the end of the 18th century and its fortifications, although built by the Moroccan government of the time, were greatly inspired by European architecture. El Jadida (formerly named as Mazagan) was a Portuguese colony established at the beginning of the 16th century as a support for the trading route to India. These points along the African coast were crucial for Portuguese ships to get supplies and to trade African goods (like slaves).

Back then, the ships were “camels” of the sea, loaded with precious goods. Thus, pirates represented a serious danger. They would create “nests” in strategic points along the coast, where they would regroup and repair their vessels. One of those “nests” was located 100 kilometres north of what would later be the Mazagan colony. The Portuguese destroyed the pirates’ hideout and a few years later established their own city there. They named it “Casa Branca”, which means “White House”. A few centuries later, Spanish merchants took over and they changed it for “Casablanca”. During the French protectorate, the city became “Maison Blanche”, but somehow the Spanish version prevailed. However, it was under the French administration that Casablanca became a major international port.

Ms Clara Smartest had high expectations when arriving in Casablanca [see here photos from real life in the city]. She had seen the famous film and was very disappointed when she was told that none of the scenes were shot there. The entire film had been shot in USA’s studios. As tourists wanted to go to Ricky’s Café (which never existed in reality), Kathy Kriger thought it was a good idea to make it real and she opened it on 1st March 2004. Looking for other similarities between the city and the film would be pointless, concluded Ms Clara Smartest.

Casablanca was the most cosmopolitan city that Ms Clara Smartest visited in Morocco. The presence of international companies, especially American, was striking and contrasted with the old traditional buildings. Touristically, there was little to see there. The only exception was the Hassan II Mosque. Ms Clara Smartest was stunned when she approached the Mosque and she was even more impressed when she got in. It was not only about its dimension, which was huge, but the concern to make each detail as perfect and beautiful as possible. Yet, the most astonishing was the fact that it was partially built on the sea. This idea made total sense in Casablanca as the city has a strong connection to the Atlantic Ocean. The lovely promenade along the beach emphasizes such a relationship and it was the focal point of the city.

Ms Clara Smartest trip ended in Rabat, Morocco’s capital. At approximately 92 km north of Casablanca, the French governance made Rabat its administrative capital. The Governor underwent many constructions that transformed this imperial traditional city into a modern westernized capital, although Moroccan legacy was scrupulously respected. The result was an achievement worthy of inscribing Rabat as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Besides the Royal Palace and the Hassan Mosque and the Mohammed V Mausoleum, Rabat is famous for the Qasba of the Oudaïa (or Kasbah des Oudaias). Located on the top of a hill by the sea, this fortified old town has a privileged view in any direction. Their typical white and blue houses shape narrow streets that lead to small squares at the edge of the top of the fortress. Down there, Ms Clara Smartest could see the waves of the Atlantic Ocean crashing against the beaches’ sand.

It was the perfect ending of her Moroccan adventure. Although she didn’t go to the desert, to the Atlas Mountains, nor to the north part of the country, she could admire the Morocco culture, deeply rooted in international trading with various parts of the world. She could also notice how different was the Atlantic coast, heavily influenced by Europe, from inland, more closely linked to its desert legacy.

** YOUR WORDS AND IDEAS **

By Isabella Muir | On 31 March 2025 at 08:08
My thoughts chime with Ms Smartest, when she says that the people of Morocco have found a way to accept ‘modernity’ on their own terms. Protecting diverse cultures from interference from others who believe they ‘know better’ is surely the best way to ensure global harmony.

By Words in Ideas | On 31 March 2025 at 21:51
Ms Smartest is glad and totally agrees with you! 🙂

Time changes in different languages

“Hi, guys!”, said Michael, taking his place at the table. “I read an article about how time is different in each language. Actually, the article is about a book that is based on research. Did you know that Chinese people set a timeline from up to down?”

“What do you mean?”, asked Sophia.

“So, in some crime stories we see on television, detectives draw a timeline on the board to understand what the victim did before he/she died, right?”

Michael waited to make sure everyone was on the same page. Then, he continued.

“They usually draw horizontally the line from left to right and write the events chronologically considering that the event on the left is the earliest and the one on the right is the latest. Those are Western TV shows. Well, if those TV shows were Chinese, that timeline would be drawn vertically in which the event on the top would be the earliest and the one at the bottom would be the latest.”

They all looked at Michael without saying a word.

“That doesn’t make any sense”, said Sophia at last.

“Indeed, it does. Western languages’ writing is from left to right. Therefore, we see time coming from the left to the right. Chinese people, at least traditionally, write from top to bottom, thus, they see time as coming from top to down”, replied Michael.

“So, languages whose writing is from right to left also consider time coming for right to left?”, asked Elizabeth.

“Yes. At least that is true for Hebrew, according to the study”, answered Michael. “In the article, they also say that for Aymara people, from the Andes in South America, and Mandarin speakers, the future is behind them because they can’t see it. What they can see is the past, which is in front of them”.

“It seems like they are walking backwards…”, noted Sophia.

“It kind of makes sense, if you think about it. We have memories of the past, photos, objects, experiences… It is as life opens up, as if it gets wider and wider as time goes by. Every step backwards reveals a little more of what we can’t see”, said Elizabeth.

“But we leave the past behind us and are walking towards the future! We move forward, not backwards!”, said Sophia, looking very confused.

“I guess that’s just how Western learn to see things. There are tribal languages that have no past nor future”, said Jack.

“So, how can they refer to the past and future?”, asked Sophia.

“Maybe they don’t need to. They live in the present”, said Michael.

“That sounds like one of those mindfulness things…”, remarked Leo, laughing.

“We all live in the present!”, said Sophia, who was getting really disturbed with the conversation. “But we have a past and plan for the future!”

“Ok. The article also states that Australian Aboriginal refers to objects as being in north, south, east, west, and all in between. For example, Sophia is north of the table. Actually, I have no idea if north is in that direction, but you understand what I mean”, said Michael as a way to change the subject a little bit.

“That’s more precise than saying on the right-hand side or left-hand side”, noted Leo.

“Yes. Maybe that’s why in London underground the lines are presented with the eastbound and westbound direction”, said Jack.

“It is very confusing for someone who can’t tell which way is east and which way is west…”, said Sophia.

“But it’s more precise, as Leo said”. Michael looked at Leo and nodded to agree with him. “There’s an example in the article that is: ‘the ball is on the left of the dog’ versus ‘the ball is on the dog’s left’. It seems the same, but the truth is that the ball is in the opposite direction. In Spanish there is no confusion. Spaniards don’t refer to the ball from the dog’s point of view.”

“It’s like the right bank of the river and the left bank of the river. I always ask myself ‘from whose point of view?’ If we say the north bank of the river and the south bank of the river is much simpler”, said Elizabeth.

“True, but, again, you have to know where north and south. I never do”, said Sophia.

“Australian Aboriginal have learned the cardinal points since they are children. We trust on GPS”, said Jack. “Maybe we are wrong and they are right.”

“Another curiosity mentioned in the article is that some languages see time as a volume and others as a line. For example, English people say ‘it’s been a long day’ and Spanish people say ‘it’s been a full day’. As in: ‘the day was longer than it usually is’ versus ‘the day had more events than it usually has’. Something like that”, continued Michael.

They stopped talking and wondered about it.

“Both are right, isn’t it?”, said Elizabeth finally. “If you end the day later than usual, it will inevitably have more events.”

“Not necessarily”, replied Leo. “During the same number of hours, you can have more events than usual. Or you can have fewer events during more hours…”

“That is all very confusing”, said Sophia.

“Imagine if you were bilingual… They switch from one way of seeing things to the other in a second!”, said Michael.

Sophia looked at him with a very desperate expression.

“Each country sees things in different ways. Australia is huge and it’s mostly a desert, so knowing the cardinal directions was essential for surviving. Spanish people focus on events while English people perceive the day as a sequence of events, and that sequence can be longer or shorter. Some languages state that we are walking towards the future, others see the past ahead”, concluded Jack.

“Some tribes don’t see a past nor a future. They only see the present”, added Michael. “Maybe they are right. The past is only in our head and the future hasn’t happened yet… There is only the present.”

“Not exactly. We walk forward towards the future. We plan the future, we visualise it. The past is behind us because we have already lived it. There is evidence about it all around us. Events happen in order, one after the other”, contradicted Sophia.

“Einstein was right: it’s all relative”, said Elizabeth.

** YOUR WORDS AND IDEAS **

By Isabella Muir | On 26 March 2025 at 10:02
Another fascinating article! Past, present and future – all determined by individual perspectives, affected by nationality, language and culture. I suppose it proves that nothing is static – almost that there are very few ‘facts’ just someone’s opinion (one man’s terrorist is another’s freedom-fighter). It also emphasises the wonder of language – which is just what your articles are all about!

By Words in Ideas | On 26 March 2025 at 14:56
Thank you so much! Indeed, we are not aware that our mother tongue, which shapes our culture, determines how we see the world. The words we use have weight and are highly revealing. Learning foreign languages is truly opening the door to see the world under another perspective! 🙂

Elizabeth in Vietnam

The decision to visit Vietnam was made on an impulse after months of looking for possible travel destinations. The descriptions of how beautiful the country was, the fact that the country was located in an exotic geographical location, or just because Elizabeth knew nothing about it, could have influenced her choice. She was aware that a fierce war had taken place there, which the USA had lost. After booking the trip, she found out that Vietnam had been a French colony and this sparked her curiosity even more, as she was a student of the French language. What would have been the legacy left by the French, she wondered.

Once there, she realized that the French influence was elusive, but the country turned out to be surprising, with a fascinating culture. The war with the USA was present, yet gone. It was like it was something that had happened and which had shaped the country, but, although the people were still overcoming it, it was a closed matter. Interestingly enough, Elizabeth didn’t see any burgers or pizzas franchises. The Western influence was like the Chinese influence: had been assimilated and transformed into something typically Vietnamese.

South Vietnam

Watching the jungle passing by inside the boat, Elizabeth was imagining what it would be like for American troops to patrol the Mekong River during the Vietnam war. She had watched enough films and TV series to know how scared the Americans were of Viet Congs, the name given to the Vietnamese Communists’ guerrilla force. After visiting the Cu Chi tunnels, she understood why.

What Westerns called the “Vietnam War” was, in Vietnamese point of view, two “Indochina Wars”. The First Indochina War was about fighting and expelling the French colonizers. It ended with an agreement to split the country in two (the Communist North and the US-supported South). Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Vietnamese nationalist movement, never gave up on the idea of uniting the country under communist rule and soon the Second Indochina War broke out. This time, it was about fighting and expelling the US troops, who were fighting against the spread of Communism in Asia, and in the world.

As the border between North Vietnam and South Vietnam was closed, Ho Chi Minh devised a route through Laos and Cambodia to provide the South with weapons and other supplies. One of the reception points was the Cu Chi base of operations. Started during the First Indochina War, an extensive network of tunnels was built underneath the jungle, giving Viet Congs access to strategic points for attack, villages and even barracks of the American troops. It was not just paths to move around, there were also weapons factories, dormitories, infirmaries, kitchens, and meeting rooms underground. This network would allow them to appear and disappear out of nowhere and attack from everywhere with no warning, while being protected from bombs and American tanks.

What was then a living hell, it was now a beautiful and peaceful site. Boats were running up and down the river, taking tourists to the islands along the Mekong River where they could go on a peaceful rowing boat trip, stroll through the jungle, watch how chocolate and coconut sweets were made, buy crocodile bags and liquor with snakes inside. Elizabeth noted how Vietnamese were friendly, but were not fooled. Their relaxed posture showed that Vietnam was their land and if foreigners would try to take their land away from them those foreigners would meet hell until they go back the way they came.

Back in the city, Elizabeth was invited to go on a cruise along the Saigon River, which included dinner. Saigon had been the capital of South Vietnam and it had previously been the capital of Cochinchina. Indochina was the name of the French colony, which encompassed what is now Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Cochinchina was the administrative division in the south. After the Second Indochina War, Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. Elizabeth asked why, as she was puzzled on how much was named after the first leader of the Communist Party of Vietnam, who died before the war was over. She was told that the idea was for Ho Chi Minh to be present all over the country: he had been born in Central Vietnam and lived many years until he died in North Vietnam. Naming Saigon after him was a way to bring him to the South, where his heart was during the war. For Vietnamese people, President Ho Chi Minh is still their leader.

During the cruise, Elizabeth learned more about Vietnam’s history. She had no idea that the French had not been the first to invade the country and to be expelled due to a strong feeling of independence of the whole population. The first to invade were the Chinese in 111 BCE. What is now North and Central Vietnam was then the Nam Viet Kingdom. “Việt” in Vietnamese meant “Yue” in Chinese. The Yue were a group of different tribes that lived in what is now the Guangxi autonomous region of China and North of Vietnam. “Nam Viet” meant “Southern Yue”. The “Southern Yue” had declared their independence in 207 BCE and had expanded its territory to what is now Central Vietnam. Unfortunately, their independence was short-lived.

During the 1050 years of Chinese rule, the feeling of independence grew stronger and stronger despite the efforts of China to turn the Viets of the South into submissive Chinese. It took a lot of time, but the Viets finally expelled the intruders. Except for a short period of 10 years in the 15th century, the Nam Viet maintained its independence (in the midst of many internal wars), changed the name to Đại Việt [the big Viet] and then to Việt Nam, and expanded its territory to the South. The French invaded in the second half of the 19th century and were expelled in 1954. By then, the feeling of independence was already embedded in Vietnamese identity. Therefore, when the time came to fight the mighty force of the USA, the population united against it: while some took up arms, others would provide them with supplies. For example, women would work during the day, and then, in the dead of the night and dressed in black, they would take food and messages to the warriors. The entire population were engaged in the war on the same side, except for those collaborating with the Americans (who left the country along with the Americans and are now living in California).

The peace and the unification of the country began when the tanks from the North entered Saigon and arrived at the Presidential Palace, the seat of the Southern Government, on 30 April 1975. This Palace is now a museum and the historical tanks are still there as a reminder.

Central Vietnam

The Portuguese landed in Vietnam in 1516, being the first Westerns to get there. By 1535, they were allowed to build a port, which contributed to turning Faifo (now Hoi An) into an important trading centre. The buildings existing today were built between the 15th and the 19th centuries and reflect the influence of different cultures. There are some westernized houses, but the majority have clearly a Chinese or a Japanese design. In fact, back in the day, there was a great Japanese community of merchants living there. They left the iconic Japanese bridge, which is now the symbol of Hoi An.

Nowadays, Hoi An Ancient Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walking through the streets, Elizabeth felt like she had been transported to another space and time. Wherever she looked, there were lanterns hanging. If they were lovely in daylight, in the evening, when lit up, they looked absolutely fantastic. When crossing a bridge, she stopped and bought a lantern with a lit candle inside from a Vietnamese lady and threw it to the river after making a wish. Then, she watched it slowly move away.

The 19th century was a time of change in the country. The port of Hoi An started to decline as the port of Da Nang, about 50 kilometres north, started to rise and slowly replaced it as the new trading centre. Today, many foreign companies are establishing there, which, combined with luxury beach resorts that take advantage of the coast, has led to a great development of the city. Back in 1802, a new dynasty began in Vietnam and the new Emperor changed the country’s capital to Hue, about 100 kilometres north of Da Nang. Greatly influenced by Chinese culture, he decided to build a new Imperial Palace there inspired by the Forbidden City in Beijing. It was the Emperor’s residence until 1945. It was partly destroyed during the Second Indochina War by American bombs (or democratic flowers, as they are called in Vietnam). Now, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is being reconstructed.

Even under construction, the old Imperial City was a wonder. As a Citadel, the interior was surrounded by high walls, which were surrounded by a course of water. When crossing the bridge to get through the entrance gate, Elizabeth looked to the left and saw a big flag of Vietnam on an artificial hill, marking the country’s new rule. Once inside, she admired how the buildings were beautifully framed by symmetric lakes, which were surrounded by trees. Then she watched as many women and men, dressed with the traditional imperial garments, were taking artistic photographs like true professionals. They didn’t care about the numerous tourists who were wandering everywhere. The young Vietnamese were ignoring them, with an attitude of ownership of the Palace. It was theirs, but they allowed foreigners to go and see it.

The Palaces followed one after the other, each one with its own specific function. There were secondary buildings on both sides where Elizabeth saw photos hanging on the walls showing ceremonies that took place during the 140 years that the Imperial City was in operation. Halfway through, empty spaces reminded tourists of the war that destroyed the missing Palaces. The first and the last Palaces were already reconstructed and they were both magnificent. However, Elizabeth noticed how different the last one, which served as the emperor’s residence, was. It had clearly a Western influence.

Several Emperors ruled in the Imperial Citadel of Hue and they all had to deal with the French. The political line of this dynasty was to ignore the French (and all other Western powers), isolating the country and banning international trade. From the Emperors of this dynasty, Tuc Duc was the most disliked. For starters, he was not supposed to be Emperor: his father preferred him to his older brother, who was supposed to be the next in line. Then, he failed to have children, something that is extremely important in Vietnam. Finally, he was unable to prevent the French from invading the country and add it to their Indochine colony. However, before he died, he built a lovely site for his tomb, with a big lake and several temples. He actually lived there with his family until he died, dedicating himself to writing and poetry.

The Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc is located about 7 kilometres from the Imperial Citadel, which in turn is located about 4 kilometres from the Thien Mu Pagoda. This Pagoda was a symbol of the fight for the right of religious freedom in the 1960’s.

North Vietnam

The first university in Vietnam was the Temple of Literature, established in 1070 in Hanoi. By that time, Vietnam had already regained its independence, but Chinese culture was still predominant. The university was based on Confucius’ teachings and it included a Temple in his honour. The buildings and the yards were designed in a Chinese-like structure and there are many bonsais in vases scattered around. Again, Elizabeth noticed young people dressed with traditional garments taking artistic photos with the same ownership attitude.

The old university is a reminder of the old days in modern Hanoi. As Elizabeth was walking through the yards, she compared what she was seeing to what was surrounding, outside that premises. The country’s capital was pulsing with present-day vitality and yet they remained traditional. It was like they would remain the same as they were for thousands of years, but would take what was good from modern life. Like motorbikes and scooters, for example. Bicycles were replaced by them as they are faster and petrol is subsidized. When on the road, no one stops, but everyone respects everyone else. Elizabeth was fascinated by watching how motorbikes, cars, and even people would cross paths without getting angry and without accidents. It was incredible.

Buddhism was another Chinese legacy. This religion seemed to be more important as Elizabeth travelled north. There were many pagodas and temples and she didn’t know why they were named differently. So, she asked and was told that pagodas were Buddhism’s worship places, like the One Pillar Pagoda and the Ba Da Pagoda in Hanoi. Temples were built to pay tribute and honouring real people who had an important role in society like teachers (for example, the Temple of Literature that honours Confucius) and military commanders, or deities (for example, the Quan Thanh Temple that honours a Taoist deity).

Since 1010, except for the period between 1802 and 1902, Hanoi has been the capital of Vietnam. It changed its name a few times and it endured different rulers: Vietnamese, French, and even Japanese, when they occupied the country between 1940 and 1945. Today, the country is ruled by the National Assembly, whose members are elected directly by the people via elections. Then, those members elect the Prime-Minister and the members of Government. The citizens do not vote in parties, as there is only one party, but directly in those individuals who decide to run for elections. Once elected, they represent the people of the region where they were elected. The parliament is located opposite the old Presidential Palace, built by the French, which is situated next to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

A visit to Vietnam could not be completed without going to Ha Long Bay. Located about 150 kilometres east of Hanoi, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is composed of 1133 islands and islets. Elizabeth had chosen to do a two-day cruise to fully appreciate the stunning natural scenery and she didn’t regret it. Besides navigating through the islands, she also had the opportunity to go onshore and take a rowing boat trip through a cave. Before catching the plane back home, Elizabeth still had time to go and see a lovely traditional water puppet show in Hanoi.

The sport, le sport, der Sport, el deporte

“Is there any major sporting event in 2025?”, asked Jack when they were sitting down for the 5th gathering of The Foreign Land’s Explorers.

“What do you mean by ‘major’? All sports have major events annually”, replied Leo.

“Like the Olympics and the Football World Cup”, specified Jack.

“You mean, MEN’s Football World Cup? Because, you know, there’s the WOMEN’s Football World Cup too. It’s high time we all make the distinction for both events”, said Sophia.

Everyone stared at Sophia in awe.

“Yes”, she added, “women’s competitions are as good or even better than men’s competitions. Besides, men’s competitions are now more about money than sport. Anyway, answering your question: not really. Some sports have their World Cups or Worlds Championships, which will be major for their fans. But, in case you’re interested, this year the Women’s Football European Championship will be held in Switzerland, between 2 and 27 July.”

“Well, after I’ve been put in my place in terms of sport ignorance, how about we talk about sports around the world? For starters, how do you say ‘sport’ in different languages?”, said Jack, with a slightly hurt voice.

“Hey, no hurt feelings, I didn’t mean to offend, ok?”, said Sophia. “So, sport in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish is the same as English, but with a slightly different pronunciation.

“I think Sophia is right in distinguishing which competition we are talking about (men’s or women’s). About the French word for sport, it is ‘sport’ too, with a different pronunciation. Same situation as Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish”, said Elizabeth.

“Same in German. And, yes, I also agree with Sophia”, said Michael.

“Aye, aye, Sophia! And in Italian it is also the same. However, it is slightly different in Spanish (‘deporte’) and in Portuguese (‘desporto’). Nevertheless, they probably have the same root”, concluded Leo.

“Right, thank you everyone. And I also agree with Sophia, no offence taken. I’ve just never thought about it until now. We are used to refer to a certain sport event as it is only a men’s event and make the distinction only in women’s events. It’s wrong, indeed, we should all correct it. Now, the origins of sports! Obviously, many sports had their origin in war, or rather, in preparation for war, for example: archery, fencing, wrestling…”, said Jack.

“Martial arts, like judo, karate, kung fu, taekwondo, were also preparation for fighting, whereas to defend and attack or just to defend. Later, it became a path to personal development”, said Michael. “Actually, Judo is mandatory in Japanese schools”.

“Different ways to fight and make war gave birth to different sports. By the way, biathlon came about when the military border patrollers of Norway and Sweden decided to compete between themselves. They patrolled the border on skis and had their rifles at hand in case of need”, said Sophia. “One day, they thought it would be fun to make a competition between countries”.

“All skiing events come from daily life in Nordic countries. Telemark skiing is a style that was ‘invented’ in a Norwegian region called… Telemark!”, said Elizabeth.

“However, Alpine skiing was developed as a sport in Switzerland”, added Sophia.

“Other winter sports also came from daily life in countries where it snows. For example, it was usual for people in the Netherlands to skate the canals as a way of travelling between villages, hence speed skating. Figure skating was probably a variant”, said Elizabeth.

“Hunting was also a fertile ground for sporting activities, like shooting and equestrian. Archery also, I suppose”, said Leo. “Running is as old as human beings, probably. First, they run away from predators, then they run after their prey. Competition to see who would run faster among themselves was a question of time.”

“Football is an interesting phenomenon. Its origins are controversial, but an undeniable fact is that it became incredibly popular. You only need a ball that you can make with some rags or other material and the goalposts can be drawn on the ground or identified by using some objects. Then, you just need to run after the ball and try to cross it between the “posts”. On the streets, there aren’t many rules. So, it can be played anywhere and everyone knows instinctively how to play,” said Leo and paused for a moment.

“Ok”, said Michael, “why is that so interesting?”

“Like I said, on the streets, there aren’t many rules… so, you can make them up. And that’s how you ended up with different types of football around the world. In England, there’s rugby. In the USA, there’s American football. In Australia, there’s Australian football. In Ireland, there’s Gaelic football. In Scotland, there’s Scottish football. Even in Canada you have a specific type of football. All with different rules. You also have beach football and futsal. Table football is a variant where you play with wood figures attached to a table. In a nutshell, there are many ways of playing football”, concluded Leo.

“Gymnastics is a global sport as well. It dates back to Ancient Greece, where athletes would ‘exercise naked’ (which is the meaning of the word). Only men would exercise. At that time, athletics and wrestling were included. Over the centuries, many forms of gymnastics were born, not only in Europe, but also in China, sometimes linked to the circus: tumbling, acrobatics, jugglers, trampolines. In the 19th century, other forms of exercising the body were developed in Germany, Sweden and Denmark. Artistic gymnastics, aerobics, and calisthenics were born during this time. Afterwards, gymnastics kept on evolving and it is still evolving today”, said Elizabeth.

“So, circus is related to gymnastics, at least some part of it. Interesting”, commented Leo.

“I did a quick search here on my computer while you were talking”, said Michael, “and there are at least two very local sports which became worldwide. One is cricket. It’s huge in England; you see it being played everywhere during summer. It is also very popular in old British colonies like Australia and India. The other is curling, which was developed in Scotland and it is now important in places like Canada. Apparently, British people like to take their sports with them wherever they emigrate (or colonize, more likely)”.

As everyone had their own computer, they searched for other sports and discussed their findings. Then, they built a table with sports’ names in different languages and wrote sentences as “Curling is a winter sport while cricket is a summer sport” also in different languages.

Miss Honeypraise and Mr Williams in Egypt

The pyramids! Miss Honeypraise was looking forward to seeing them. However, when searching about the country, she realized there was much more to see and visit. She was going on a tour with a travel agency for logistics and safety reasons. Considering that there was a “Tourism Police” in the country to make sure tourists were safe at all times, Miss Honeypraise thought it would be better not to risk going by themselves. Mr Theodore Williams, who was going with her, was her best-friend-turned-boyfriend and this was going to be their first trip together.

Miss Honeypraise had been prepared to be marvelled and to enjoy her new relationship. She wasn’t disappointed, quite the contrary. It was a wonderful vacation. Sitting back home on her balcony, drinking a cup of tea and watching the sunset, she recalled her grand adventure…

The Nile

Navigating up the Nile, it was easy to imagine one had gone back in time, to the time of the Pharaohs. There were still many agricultural areas along the shore, where there were people walking around with their donkeys. The boats going up and down were also similar with the ones used in Ancient Egypt and some would carry fishermen working in the old ways. Kids would jump from the boats into the water and they would laugh happily and carelessly. When the Pharaohs ruled this land, the traffic was much more intense, the boats were brighter and more colourful, the farm lands would be full of activity, loading the boats with crops.

Ancient Egypt lived off the Nile River. It was everything to its people: a means of transportation, a means of subsistence, a means of entertainment. Everything happened on the Nile. Beyond it, there was nothing but the desert… and death. Death was a huge theme throughout the realm. Not as a sense of loss or sorrow, but as a celebration of the life that has ended and a transition to a new life on the other side. The pyramids, a reminder of past rulers, had the perfect shape to point the tomb up to the sky above. When a King died, the dead body would be turned into a mummy and the mummy would be buried at the end of smaller or bigger tunnels (according to the extent of their lives), filled with images about their lives, together with all kinds of treasures. A perfect bait for thieves. This became a problem and the solution was to build the new tombs in a mountain area away from everyone and difficult to access. Hence, the Valley of the Kings.

“You seem very contemplative”, said Theodore, sitting on the chair next to Clarissa.

“This sunset is absolutely stunning. It’s completely different from the one we’ve known”, said Clarissa, wrapping her coat tighter around her body. It was getting cold on the deck on the upper floor of the cruise boat.

“Indeed. This cruise up the Nile is startling. The landscape is so very beautiful. It is just like the films we’ve watched that are set here.”

“Yes. Speaking of it, don’t you have the feeling we are living in Agatha Christie’s story ‘Death on the Nile’? I swear to you, I almost expect to see Poirot around the corner worried about some person who has died…”

“Well, no one is going to die here, especially murdered.” Theodore laughed. “And Poirot was a fictional character… But, yes, it makes you think how many tourists have taken this trip since… I don’t know… About 100 years, maybe? Let’s see… The British presence began to be felt in 1859 and it got more and more intensified from then on. It was during that time that all the archaeology discoveries began.”

“And all the looting…”

“Yes. Well, back then, the archaeology discoveries were a huge thing, so I guess it was when they decided to create these tourist visits for the British citizens who were interested in coming to see them.”

“And patrons, especially, I suppose.”

“Definitely. They could be insensible to the natives, but the fact is they have greatly advanced Egyptology.”

“So, what happened in the meantime? I mean, between the end of the Pharaohs’ rule and the British ‘taking over’?”

“They were invaded by the Assyrians, then the Persians. Later, Alexandre, the Great, arrived in the north and founded Alexandria, which was named after him. He also built the famous lighthouse and the library. Both were destroyed, although the library was rebuilt twice, at least. Afterwards, the Romans came and Egypt became a Christian country until the Arabs invaded and the country turned Muslim. During that time, Saladin became the Sultan of Egypt and was responsible for initiating many important public works in Cairo, especially a unique water system. In the 16th century, Egypt became part of the Ottoman Empire. Napoleon invaded, but lost. Finally, the British came and settled until 1922, when Egypt regained its independence at last.”

“Wow, what a story! No wonder I thought Egypt didn’t have its own history since the Pharaohs.”

“However, their history as an independent country has not been smooth. It started as a kingdom under the influence of the British and in 1953 turned into a Republic after they kicked the British out for good. However, they got into trouble with the British and the French when they decided to nationalize the Suez Canal. Things got worse and they went to war with Israel. President Sadat signed a peace treaty in 1979, but he was assassinated because of it two years later. A period of great unrest followed, including terrorist attacks on tourists.”

“Hence, the Tourism Police we see today everywhere, keeping us all under their eye.”

“Exactly. Tourism is economically very important here. The unrest continues, with many protests and violence. They are still trying to control the situation.”

“I suppose this country is a work in progress. No wonder they don’t finish the buildings and don’t bother to clean the rubble when a building collapses.”

“Maybe they are still learning how to be an independent country. The last time that happened was in Ancient Egypt… A very long time ago.”

“It’s getting cold now. Let’s go inside. The sun has set, the show is over”, said Clarissa shivering slightly.

Luxor

Cairo was founded as the capital of Egypt when the Arabs invaded the country. It was located not far from the old capital Memphis, the city that became the capital when the two kingdoms, the Upper Egypt (in the south) and the Lower Egypt (in the north), came together as one realm. During this time, the Giza Pyramids were built, along with other pyramids and monuments in the region. It was later that it was decided to bury the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings to avoid thefts. Not far from the Valley of the Kings, a new capital emerged: Thebes. After its decline, the capital became Luxor, which thrived from Thebes’ ruins. Luxor is where the full splendour of Ancient Egypt can be glimpsed. Many buildings have been destroyed over the centuries, but the ruins unveil what they may have been at the time. They are still magnificent and one can only imagine the full scale of its majesty.

Starting in Luxor, the Nile cruise takes visitors to different key spots along the river. The adventure starts at the temples of Karnak and Luxor, which are connected by a road with lined Sphinxes at both sides (partially destroyed now) and are characterized by tall columns and huge statues. These make anyone feel small, which was probably the goal. Pharaohs wanted to show how magnificent they were and how important it was to respect religion. After all, the Pharaohs were also the religious leaders. Therefore, many temples were built, usually by the water. This was important due to the frequent religious parades, which took place on boats.

“Did you capture the meaning of the images carved in stone?”, asked Clarissa.

“At the time, yes. I have forgotten everything by now. It’s fascinating how they would record their life for eternity in such a way.”

“Only the good things. They were pretty good at hiding the bad things. This way, it seems that the 3000 years of Ancient Egypt was a wonderful time, full of great achievements, where everyone was happy and healthy.”

“You didn’t expect them to record the bad things on the walls, did you?”, laughed Theodore.

“Well, nowadays we record everything: the good, the bad, the ugly… the false…”

“In truth, it is easier to write on a computer than to carve on stones…”

Aswan
The Temples of Abu Simbel and Philae were two of the historical monuments that had to be relocated when the Aswan High Dam was constructed, resulting in the rising of the waters of Lake Nasser. The monuments could have been submerged if it wasn’t for the specialized work carried out by the UN, responsible for financing the project. This was not an easy task. Once a year, the sun enters the main Temple of Abu Simbel and illuminates the statues located deep inside. UN specialists had to recreate this unique feature when relocating the Temple, which they did (with a very slight variation).

The Temple of Abu Simbel is the closest to the border with Sudan and it is located in the Aswan region, a region different from other Egyptian regions, full of cataracts and islands along the river. One of these islands is the Elephantine Island, located right in front of the region’s capital, Aswan (named the same as the region itself), where boat traffic is especially intense. No wonder. This was once an important trade point with Sudan and the administrative centre of the former independent region named Nubia, which has been under Egypt control for many centuries. Yet, they maintain their culture intact, namely in some typical villages located in the island, full of their colourful houses.

“That concludes our trip to Egypt”, said Theodore. “From Alexandria, in the north, to Abu Simbel, closer to the border with Sudan, it’s about 1300 km along the Nile River. 1300 km with 3000 years of ancient history.”

“I feel like I went back in time, although all I saw was ruins. Nevertheless, we can imagine how it was full of life, especially the river. And all this happened about 2000 years ago! It’s incredible!”

The beauty, la beauté, die Schönheit, la belleza

“Did anyone research beauty?”, asked Jack as soon as everyone sat down. “I’ll start. The English word ‘beauty’ comes from the French word ‘beau’. Therefore, I give you the floor, Elizabeth”.

“Thank you, Jack. I thought you were going to start… Well, the French word ‘beauté’ also comes from the word ‘beau’, which in turn comes from the Latin word bellus. The meaning is the same, there was no great change over the centuries”, said Elizabeth.

“In Spanish it is ‘belleza’, in Italian it is ‘bellezza’, and in Portuguese it is ‘beleza’. All these words also come from Latin. No surprises there”, said Leo.

“The German word is ‘Schönheit‘, which comes from ‘Schön’, an old German word”, said Michael.

“The Nordic languages follow the same logic and are not that different from the German word. However, the sound seems much different than the writing: ‘skönhet’, in Swedish, ‘skønhed’, in Danish, and ‘skjønnhet‘, in Norwegian. Nothing very exciting”, said Sophia.

“Yeah, very boring. I don’t know if you looked up the opposite word. In English it is ‘ugliness’, which comes from ‘ugly’. Now, ‘beauty’ comes from Latin, but ‘ugly’ comes from Old Norse, which, back in the day, meant ‘dreadful, fearful’”, said Jack. “So, I guess someone ugly was someone who was feared. In today’s Nordic languages, the word should be similar to this one, no?”

“Well, actually I did that exercise too. Interestingly, the words are different in Norwegian (‘stygg’), Danish (‘grim’), and Swedish (‘ful’). None of them is closer to ‘ugly’. Maybe it is closer to the German word?…”, asked Sophia, looking at Michael.

“No”, replied Michael, looking at his computer. “I didn’t look for ‘ugly’ before, but I did it now. In German it is ‘hässlich’. What about Latin languages?”, said Michael.

“The Spanish word (‘feo’) and the Portuguese word (‘feio’) are similar, but in Italian it is ‘brutto’. This is curious because, in Roman times, ‘Brutus’ was a name. Remember Cesar’s son who stabbed him? It also meant ‘stupid’ in Latin. In Portuguese and in Spanish there is also ‘bruto’, which means someone who is not very bright, but very aggressive”, clarified Leo.

“In French it is also different from everything you said: ‘laid’. It can also be ‘moche’, in a more informal way”, said Elizabeth.

“I guess ‘beauty’ is pretty much the same in every language whereas ‘ugly’ depends on the culture”, comment Jack.

“Ok, this is great”, said Elizabeth, “but I have a presentation to give you all. Ah, yes, I got carried away when doing this research. At first, I thought of a presentation about art and beauty, but that could become a bit technical and you could all get bored. Then, I thought that beauty is usually related to well-being. Therefore, I gathered information about famous beauty rituals around the world”.

Everyone was delighted and sat comfortably in front of her in expectation. Elizabeth stood up, prepared her notes, and started her presentation.

“So, Leo mentioned the Roman Empire. At that time, there was no plumbing providing water to private houses. As Romans liked to imitate the Greeks, and the Greeks liked to bathe, they developed the habit to bathe in public spaces, which were built for that purpose. The Greek public baths were small and Romans, as was their nature, wanted to make them big. They built these luxurious public baths where people would socialize and participate in numerous activities. They called it ‘thermae’ and, besides having a bath, Romans could do physical exercise, enjoy hot rooms, use the swimming pool, and stroll through the gardens for relaxation. A true health centre of Ancient Times.”

“I guess that’s where the concept of gyms with saunas and SPAs came from. By the way, SPA is the abbreviation of Sanus Per Aquam in Latin (healthy through water). That’s how the thermal springs were known in the Roman Empire, right?”, commented Leo, very proud of himself.

“Wrong”, said Elizabeth. “Spa is the name of a town in Belgium where a very famous thermal spring was built. Throughout their Empire, the Romans had discovered the places where the water had special mineral characteristics, hence the term ‘thermae’. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Roman concept of luxurious healthy centres was revived. New buildings were constructed, with new social activities, like balls. They also built houses and hotels to lodge (rich) people from all over Europe. True towns emerged around those thermal springs. Spa was one of the most famous, but there were many others, like Bath, in England, where the Roman Baths are still a tourist attraction and are still operating. UNESCO now has a heritage category called ‘Great Spa Towns of Europe’ to help preserve these historical landmarks.”

“Spa has also a famous car racing circuit”, said Michael suddenly.

Elizabeth nodded and continued.

“The Roman thermae were built everywhere in the Empire, including in North Africa and in what is now Turkey. There, ‘hot baths’ evolved into what are known nowadays as ‘hammam’, or ‘Turkish baths’. Some people may confuse these with Sauna. Basically, while in Turkish baths we are in a room full of very hot steam, in the Sauna we are in a heated room where you sweat. Both aimed to expel the toxins from our skin. Like I said, Turkish bath is an evolution from the Roman thermae. Sauna is a Scandinavian tradition. While you are sweating from the heat, you can also hit yourself (gently) with birch twigs to help the process. Afterwards, you get out of the wood panelled room and jump to the very cold waters of the nearest lake or sea. The extreme difference in temperature does wonders for the skin, if you can handle it.”

Elizabeth stopped talking while everyone was shivering.

“Public baths were not an exclusive idea of Europeans. Japanese people made good use of the natural hot water that emerged to the surface everywhere throughout the country. They built Onsen (meaning ‘hot spring’) of different types. In other parts of the world, beauty rituals were not about going to public baths, but using special ingredients from Nature. In Africa, it’s tradition to use Shea butter to take care of skin and hair, in Polynesia it’s coconut oil. Traditions are linked to what nature provides in each land. In other countries, it’s not about the ingredients, but the process. For example, in Korea, a 10-step skincare routine was developed to maintain the skin healthy, which is now considered a world reference. And that’s all I had for you today.”

“Brilliant! Thank you so much, Elizabeth. Anyone has anything to add, have any questions?…”

Jack waited for someone to say something, but as everyone kept silent, he ended the meeting.

The happiness, le bonheur, das Glück, la felicidad

“Welcome to the 3rd Gathering of The Foreign Lands’ Explorers!”, said Jack. “Today’s topic is happiness. So, I did a little research and I found that ‘happiness’ comes from the Middle English word ‘hap’, which means ‘to happen’ and ‘chance or fortune’. Therefore, from the old days to these days, ‘hap’ turned into ‘good fortune’, ‘something that occurs by chance’. Nowadays, ‘happiness’ also means ‘joy’ and ‘a good experience’”.

“Well, in German, it’s ‘das Glück’, which is the word for ‘happiness’ and ‘luck’”, said Michael.

“In Spanish it’s ‘felicidad’, in Italian it’s ‘felicità’, and in Portuguese it’s ‘felicidade’. It comes from the Latin word ‘felicitas’, which means ‘good luck’… and also ‘fertility’. I guess that for Latins fertility was connected to good fortune somehow”, said Leo.

“The word for happiness in French is a little different: ‘le bonheur’. It brings together the words ‘bon’ and ‘heur’. ‘Heur’ means ‘chance’. So, it’s literally ‘good chance’”, said Elizabeth.

“It’s the same in Nordic languages. For example, in Norwegian, the word for happiness is ‘lykke’, which also means ‘luck’ and it has the same root as the German word ‘Glück’ and the English word ‘luck’. In Danish is ‘lykke’ and in Swedish is ‘lycka’”, said Sophia.

“It seems that happiness is in fact good luck. It’s when things are going well, when everything is in our favour”, concluded Jack.

“Speaking about Nordic countries, there is a book about happiness in Denmark. It’s called ‘The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well’ and it was written by Meik Wiking. I haven’t read it yet, but I think it is about the little things, being with the people we love, and cosy homes. Denmark was considered the happiest country in the world for some years, but not anymore. I think it’s Finland now”, added Sophia. “However, he gave a TED talk about the ‘dark side of happiness’. Through their studies about happiness, they found that comparing ourselves to others is very important to determine our own satisfaction with life. So, if you are surrounded by people who are more successful than you, even if you are successful, you will feel like crap.”

“Success is relative, isn’t it? What is success anyway?”, asked Elizabeth.

“Ok, let’s look at the dictionary. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, success is ‘the achieving of desired results, or someone or something that achieves positive results’”, said Jack.

“So, if ‘happiness’ is when things are going well and ‘success’ is achieving results, then successful people are happy because they are getting the results they were looking for, whichever they are”, concluded Michael.

“It’s all about standards, right? In Western countries, there is a model of the happy family and how a successful life should be, which may be different from other regions in the world. In any case, you want to be part of it, to fit in, to show that you comply with the norm. It’s hard if you are different. You may feel like a pariah”, said Elizabeth.

“And no one wants to be a pariah. By the way, pariah comes from the name of a lower caste. People belonging to this caste would be avoided by everyone else”, said Jack.

“Well, that fits. Whether you are part of the happy ‘caste’ of society or you are avoided until you get promoted”, laughed Leo.

“Do you think there are happier countries than others?”, asked Michael.

“There are definitely countries where you have a higher possibility to be happy than in others. In poorer countries you are so worried about surviving that happiness is not even an issue. On the other hand, in wealthier countries, surviving is, in principle, guaranteed. Thus, you can afford (literally) to think about it”, commented Jack.

“But you also have poor people in wealthier countries and what you said also applies to them”, added Michael.

“That’s all true. However, people in poorer countries sometimes seem happier than people in wealthier countries. Maybe because in wealthier countries people compare themselves more to others and are more pressured to be happy? I mean, if you don’t earn a lot of money, go on luxury vacations, or have a beautiful family, you may be considered a failure even if you don’t actually want a family, earn enough money to live the life you love, and don’t care about luxury”, said Leo.

“People in different countries have different values. Are you familiar with the expression ‘first world problems’?”, asked Sophie, but she didn’t wait for an answer. “This means problems that are not real problems compared with problems faced by people in underdeveloped countries. For example, getting annoyed because you don’t get an internet signal in certain parts of the house. Some countries struggle to have internet signals at all.”

“That’s not different values, that’s just a different dimension of problems”, said Leo. “In terms of values, in some countries people value life at home, like in Denmark, but in other countries happiness is to go out and meet friends somewhere, like in Ireland, where people like to meet at the pub. Happiness is different in these countries because of this.”

“Yes. In some countries, people love to go camping in nature, like in Scandinavia”, said Sophie. “There, being in contact with nature is extremely important for one’s happiness.”

“People in Latin countries go mad if they have to stay inside the house all the time. So, maybe Denmark’s definition of happiness can’t be applied there”, laughed Leo.

“Perhaps, but, in reality, what makes people happy it’s up to each individual. Some Latin people can be perfectly happy at home, watching TV while drinking hot chocolate”, said Sophie.

“Yes, there’s no rules, no models, although culture does play a part in it, I think”, said Jack. “Cultural shock can happen when you move to a country completely different from your own. Some people struggle to find a way to fit in and become miserable when failing. If they have moved for professional reasons, they can move back to their original country. If they had moved because they married someone from that country, then the marriage may not hold due to cultural differences.”

“Thus, fitting in is important to be happy”, concluded Elizabeth. “Some people adapt so well to another culture that are no longer able to return to their original culture.”

“It’s like they were born in the wrong country”, commented Michael.

The war, la guerre, der Krieg, la guerra

While in Europe nations were busy with wars like the Greco-Persian Wars (including the Battle of Thermopylae, when King Leonidas from Esparta, with his 300 soldiers, faced the troops of King Xerxes from Persia), in China people were living under the Zhou Dynasty. Sun Tzu, the author of “The Art of War”, and Confucius lived and developed their work at this time. The latter deeply influenced China and his philosophy is still at the root of today’s society. He based his teachings on family devotion, rituals, and a sense of community, refusing the idea that wealth and power were paramount. Complementarily, Sun Tzu stated in his book that “supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting” (chapter III, #2). Chinese culture was based on the belief that diplomacy and trade was more effective than war and war should only be considered as a last resort, only when it was absolutely unavoidable. When finally going to war, according to Sun Tzu, five factors would be taken into account: the moral influence, time, terrain, commander, and doctrine. In other words, they would carefully study the enemy, the terrain and its conditions before they would attack.

Nearby, Feudal Japan was permanently in war because warlords were always fighting for power. Samurai were a group of warriors (called bushi) that were allowed to carry swords everywhere and had a licence to kill. The word means “to serve”, as in serving their master, their daimyo. The onna-musha, meaning “female warriors”, were women-samurai, who fought alongside men-samurai. Over time, samurai became more powerful, rising to an aristocratic level and being even more important than warlords.

However, at that time, there were other groups of warriors. Ninjas, meaning a “person (ja) that perseveres, conceals, moves stealthily (nin)”, were trained very secretly in different martial art techniques, especially ninjutsu, to become spies and assassins. The ashigaru, meaning “light foot”, were former peasants turned into foot soldiers that were under the orders of samurai. The ikkō-ikki were rebels that stood against samurai. Then there were the “monk soldiers”, the sōhei, who had their own agenda. A final mention to the rōnin, who were samurai that had lost their master and were roaming the country. Often, they would become trouble makers.

If Robin Hood and his gang were Japanese, they would belong to the ikkō-ikki class. In Feudal Europe, instead of daimyo there were kings, instead of samurai there were knights, instead of ashigaru there were mercenaries. Knights were loyal to their kings or to their religious order (like Templars). If Templars were Japanese, they would belong to the sōhei class. Mercenaries were men hired by the armies to fight for money. Back then, the notion of “nation” or “country” was very different from today’s concept and men didn’t fight out of patriotism. It was a job, like any other, and men would fight for whoever paid higher. It could happen that they would fight one day for an army and fight for the opposing army the next day. They were loyal only to money. Before their country would become neutral, Swiss mercenaries were considered the most prestigious soldiers. They were regarded as “elite”.

Germany was also a great provider of mercenaries and this had an impact in its culture, namely in some idiomatic expressions that are still used today. For example, in the battlefield, there were men whose job was to hold the flag to serve as reference for the troops. It was not easy, but they would “bei der Stange bleiben” (“stick with it” by standing by the pole). There was also a lot of dust, with horses running up and down and warriors fighting fiercely. Those who would desert during the battle would “aus dem Staub machen” (“make a run for it” by getting out of the dust). If they would desert outside the battlefields, they would only have “die Flinge ins Korn werfen” (“throw in the towel” by tossing their rifle to a corn field). Back in the day, mercenaries didn’t wear a uniform, like military do nowadays, so they would only be recognised by being in the possession of a rifle. If they would get rid of their rifle, they would kind of stop being a soldier. However, they could leave the army without deserting if the army would one “Laufpass geben” (“end the relationship” by giving a pass).

According to the United Nations, peace «not only is the absence of conflict, but also requires a positive, dynamic participatory process where dialogue is encouraged and conflicts are solved in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation». This definition is included in the “Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace”. In a way, this is in line with the Chinese ancient view of war: to avoid it and focus on trade prosperity instead. In fact, peace is much more advantageous, economically and socially. Check the examples of Germany and Japan after the Second World War. However, war fills mythological stories around the world. Warriors are seen as heroes and conflicts are often shown as necessary to defend a nation from aggressive, powerful, and overwhelming armies or to liberate some oppressed nation. The “best” stories are those where a few defeats many. On the other hand, there are also stories about the consequences of the war on civilians during and/or afterwards.

The Second World War is the period with (by far) most “stories”, mainly because of spies. Oh, yes. A spy in this context is someone who is paid to “spill the beans” about the enemy. In Britain they are known as “spooks”. This means that “ghosts” are trying to find and disclose secret information, like “flies on the wall” (someone who hears without being seen).

Wars continue to evolve, even if they are basically the same and are based on similar “justifications”. Nowadays, new concepts are emerging like cyberwar and hybrid warfare. In an increasingly globalized world, where everything and everyone is connected, war is also becoming a global issue and the ways to fight it are getting similar from country to country.

The work, le travail, die Arbeit, el trabajo

“I declare the first gathering of The Foreign Lands’ Explorers open,” said Jack and everyone clapped and cheered. “The topic for today is ‘the work’.”

“’El trabajo’, in Spanish; ‘il lavoro’, in Italian; ‘o trabalho’, in Portuguese,” said Leo.

“’Le travail’, in French”, said Elizabeth.

“’Die Arbeit’, in German”, said Michael.

“’Arbejdet’, in Danish; ‘arbeidet’, in Norwegian; ‘arbetet’, in Swedish”, said Sophia.

“’Trabajo’, ‘trabalho’, and ‘travail’ come from Latin. The original word, at the time, was related to a torture instrument with three stakes. I have no idea how it progressed, but we can assume that there was a connection made somewhere by common people between ‘work’ and ‘torture’…”, explained Leo. “The Italian word comes from the Latin word ‘labor’, which was the official and standard word for ‘work’ at the time. In Spanish, French, and Portuguese a similar word also exists with a similar meaning, but usually is used in handcraft work or in the farming context. It makes sense because at the time most of the work was related with agriculture. In English, we can also see this word being used in some contexts, like in ‘labour market’.”

“Actually, there is a similar situation in German. The word ‘Werk’ also means work in a more formal manner, but it is mostly related with factories and the like. Both words ‘Werk’ and ‘work’ have the same origin. In English language the word ‘labour’ can be used, but it’s more commonly used in the farming context”, added Michael.

“Then, there is ‘job’, which can mean a task or an employment”, said Jack.

“In Spanish and in Portuguese the word is the same, but there is also the word ‘empleo’ and ‘emprego’, respectively, for ‘employment’, which is similar to English”, informed Leo.

“Yes, ‘employment’ was adopted to English via French, whose word is ‘emploi’. In French slang you can also say ‘boulot’”, added Elizabeth.

“Ok, what about ‘unemployment’? In Swedish is ‘arbetslöshet’, in Danish is ‘arbejdsløshed’, and in Norwegian is ‘arbeidsledighet’”, said Sophia. “Basically it means ‘without work’”.

“In German is not so different: ‘Arbeitslosigkeit’”, added Michael.

“In French is ‘chômage’”, said Elizabeth.

“’Chômage’?! Where that came from?”, asked Jack.

“It comes from the Latin word ‘caumare’, which means to take a break during the heat”, explained Elizabeth.

“That doesn’t seem to make much sense…”, laughed Sophia.

“Well, try working during the heat and you’ll probably start to see some sense…”, commented Jack. “We all have to learn the ropes with those who came before us.”

“Learn the ropes? What do you mean?”, asked Leo.

“It’s an idiomatic expression that means learning to do a job”, answered Jack. “It was used when new sailors had to learn how to tide the ropes in sailing boats.”

“As they say in Germany: ‘die Arbeit, die uns freut, wird zum Vergnügen’. This means ‘the work that we enjoy becomes pleasure’”, said Michael.

“Unless you ‘tombes dans le panneau’”, said Elizabeth. As everyone stared at her, she explained: “You can fall into a trap”. Then everyone went “Ahhhh”.

“You can always take a ‘föräldrapenning’, as the Swedish say. Or ‘foreldrepenger’, in Norwergian. Or ‘forældreorlov’ in Danish”, said Sophia.

“What exactly is that?”, asked Leo.

“Parental leave”, clarified Sophia.

“Oh, ‘congé parental’, in French”, said Elizabeth.

“’Permiso parental’ in Spanish; ‘congedo parentale’, in Italian; and ‘licença parental’, in Portuguese”, said Leo.

“’Elternurlaub’, in German”, said Michael.

“Well, you would have to have a child first…”, commented Elizabeth.

“I declare the first gathering of The Foreign Lands’ Explorers open,” said Jack and everyone clapped and cheered. “The topic for today is ‘the work’.”

“’El trabajo’, in Spanish; ‘il lavoro’, in Italian; ‘o trabalho’, in Portuguese,” said Leo.

“’Le travail’, in French”, said Elizabeth.

“’Die Arbeit’, in German”, said Michael.

“’Arbejdet’, in Danish; ‘arbeidet’, in Norwegian; ‘arbetet’, in Swedish”, said Sophia.

“’Trabajo’, ‘trabalho’, and ‘travail’ come from Latin. The original word, at the time, was related to a torture instrument with three stakes. I have no idea how it progressed, but we can assume that there a connection was made somewhere on the way by common people between ‘work’ and ‘torture’…”, explained Leo. “The Italian word comes from the Latin word ‘labor’, which was the official and standard word for ‘work’ at the time. In Spanish, French, and Portuguese a similar word also exists with a similar meaning, but usually is used in handcraft work or in the farming context. It makes sense because at the time most of the work was related to agriculture. In English, we can also see this word being used in some contexts, like in ‘labour market’.”

“Actually, there is a similar situation in German. The word ‘Werk’ also means work in a more formal manner, but it is mostly related with factories and the like. Both words ‘Werk’ and ‘work’ have the same origin. In the English language, the word ‘labour’ can be used, but it’s more commonly used in the farming context”, added Michael.

“Then, there is ‘job’, which can mean a task or an employment”, said Jack.

“In Spanish and in Portuguese the word is the same, but there is also the word ‘empleo’ and ‘emprego’, respectively, for ‘employment’, which is similar to English”, informed Leo.

“Yes, ‘employment’ was adopted to English via French, whose word is ‘emploi’. In French slang, you can also say ‘boulot’”, added Elizabeth.

“Ok, what about ‘unemployment’? In Swedish is ‘arbetslöshet’, in Danish is ‘arbejdsløshed’, and in Norwegian is ‘arbeidsledighet’”, said Sophia. “Basically, it means ‘without work’”.

“In German is not so different: ‘Arbeitslosigkeit’”, added Michael.

“In French it is ‘chômage’”, said Elizabeth.

“’Chômage’?! Where did that come from?”, asked Jack.

“It comes from the Latin word ‘caumare’, which means to take a break during the heat”, explained Elizabeth.

“That doesn’t seem to make much sense…”, laughed Sophia.

“Well, try working during the heat and you’ll probably start to see some sense…”, commented Jack. “We all have to learn the ropes with those who came before us.”

“Learn the ropes? What do you mean?”, asked Leo.

“It’s an idiomatic expression that means learning to do a job”, answered Jack. “It was used when new sailors had to learn how to tide the ropes in sailing boats.”

“As they say in Germany: ‘die Arbeit, die uns freut, wird zum Vergnügen’. This means ‘the work that we enjoy becomes pleasure’”, said Michael.

“Unless you ‘tombes dans le panneau’”, said Elizabeth. As everyone stared at her, she explained: “You can fall into a trap”. Then everyone went “Ahhhh”.

“You can always take a ‘föräldrapenning’, as the Swedish say. Or ‘foreldrepenger’, in Norwegian. Or ‘forældreorlov’ in Danish”, said Sophia.

“What exactly is that?”, asked Leo.

“Parental leave”, clarified Sophia.

“Oh, ‘congé parental’, in French”, said Elizabeth.

“’Permiso parental’ in Spanish; ‘congedo parentale’, in Italian; and ‘licença parental’, in Portuguese”, said Leo.

“’Elternurlaub’, in German”, said Michael.

“Well, you would have to have a child first…”, commented Elizabeth.

After this introduction to the topic, they decided to compare the name of some professions in different languages. They started with the firefighters.

While in the Anglo-Saxon and Nordic languages the focus is on fire (they are the people of the fire / those who fight the fire), in Latin languages the focus is on the pumps that were used at the beginning of firefighting (they are the people of the pumps).

Between ‘assistant’ and ‘host’ / ‘hostess’ or ‘steward’ / ‘stewardess’, there is not much difference.

In this case, except in the Spanish language, the expression is very similar to all other languages. “Journalism” was a term born in the 18th century in France and comes from “jour”, as in “report every day”. In Spanish, “newspaper” is “periódico”, hence the “periodista”.

In German and in the Nordic languages, the word refers to an instructor, someone who provides training for someone to acquire a skill, which has a similar meaning for “teacher”, although the root is different. The perspective is “to show how it’s done”. In Latin languages, the perspective is “someone who dominates an art and transmits its knowledge to their disciples”. In these languages, the teacher is regarded as a kind of “keeper of knowledge”. This is even more emphasised in Spanish, where the teacher is considered a “master”. Actually, in the other Latin countries, a teacher used to be called “master” and in some contexts it is still the case.

As it was getting late, they decided to wrap up. They could discuss and compare terms in different languages for hours, but they all had classes the next morning. However, when everyone was preparing to leave, Leo remembered something.

“Do you know the origin of the word ‘salary’?”

Everyone looked at Leo.

“Salt was extremely important during the Roman Empire. So, it was the reference to pay soldiers what was due to them. It was the ‘salt portion’ they could have. They still use that term in English, in Portuguese (‘salário’), in French (‘salaire’), and in Spanish in certain contexts (‘salario’).”

“If it’s a constant pay, for example every month, it’s ‘sueldo’. If it is an irregular pay it’s a ‘salario’”, said Elizabeth.

“Exactly”, confirmed Leo. “It’s similar in Italian: ‘salario’ is an hourly pay whereas ‘stipendio’ is a fixed pay”.

“That’s also similar in German. If it’s fixed it’s ‘Gehalt’ and if it’s variable it’s ‘Lohn’”, said Michael.

“Ah, in Swedish it’s ‘lön’, in Danish it’s ‘løn’, and in Norwegian it’s ‘lønn’”, added Sophia.

And, on that note, they reluctantly went back home.

The peaceful Switzerland

Cows gaze lazily at the high mountains surrounding them while taking full advantage of the sunshine. Soon it will be time to go indoors, when the snow starts falling from the sky. For the moment, there is snow only at the mountain summits. Down below, in the valleys, clusters of houses outline several villages and cities along the rivers and by the lakes. One couldn’t imagine that for centuries this region was the stage of fierce battles.

The Helvetians were a Celtic tribe that had settled here when Romans expanded their Empire throughout Europe. They couldn’t escape it, but they were granted enough autonomy to govern the different provinces of this land and manage the most important commercial routes that crossed the territory. This was a great experience for them, from which the Helvetians learned much. After the fall of the Roman Empire, they were invaded by the Germans, from the north, and by the French, from the west. In the meantime, the Helvetians, now converted to Christianity, agreed to fight in the German army in exchange for money and land. Yes, they had really learned how to make business.

Yet, their leanings would continue. Now part of the Holy Roman Empire, the former Helvetians were in charge of different pieces of land and, like in the Roman Empire, they enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy. However, this time, they came to the conclusion that they should work together to keep peace and economically prosper. A confederation began to take shape and Schwyz inspired them to become “die Schweizer” (the Swiss). To the first three “orte” (pieces of land), five more joined them in the 14th century. Ah, but men are greedy and selfish and internal battles for power were waged…

The next centuries were full of wars, inside the “Land of the Swiss” and outside. Fighting each other, fighting the invaders, and also serving as mercenaries in foreign armies were daily business. Finally, in the 17th century, Switzerland became an independent country de facto, kept out from other people’s wars, and dedicated themselves to agriculture, trade, bank activities, and watchmaking… until a French person named Napoleon and his troops invaded the Swiss Land and everything collapsed. The Old Confederation was dead…

… long live the New Confederation (after Napoleon had been expelled, of course). All the learnings were applied then. The “orte” became “canton”, each Canton became almost fully independent, and later the Confederation turned into a Federation. The Swiss people decided to focus on making money and not war, living in peace and harmony. In the meantime, they adopted the direct democracy political system, which means individuals decide by vote (via referendum or initiatives) the rules of the country. Oh, Switzerland looks like a very advanced country… except in what women are concerned.

It took 103 years of fighting, and a fear of “looking bad” internationally, for women to be granted the right to vote. It all started in 1868, when women in Zurich proposed to be granted the right to vote. They failed, of course, but they didn’t give up. An organisation was created and the fight turned national. Due to the direct democracy system, many petitions were presented to the Parliament. They were first ignored and then rejected over and over again by men (those who could actually vote), as men viewed women as not able to understand politics and whose place was at home taking care of the children.

At some point, Swiss men were on the verge of being humiliated internationally as almost all European countries had already allowed women to vote. In the meantime, Swiss women kept pushing and presenting initiatives while peacefully protesting on the streets. After much internal and external pressure, men finally approved the right for women to vote in 1971, even though in some Cantons this would only become official 20 years later…

Ah, the peaceful Switzerland, with the placid lakes and the serene Alpine mountains, perfect for sanatoriums specialised in healing the body and the mind. A land where nothing much happens and people are focused on their farms and their business affairs…

Read more about Switzerland:

The History of Switzerland

Political system

Women’s suffrage in Switzerland: 100 years of struggle

The long road to women’s suffrage in Switzerland

News, actualités, Nachrichten, noticias, notícias

Reading the news in the language we are learning is a wonderful way to train that language and get to know the culture and the way speakers of that language see the world. News media around the world usually organize themselves in an identical structure. Furthermore, some of the world news is the same, so one can read the same news in newspapers from different countries. This will give you the chance to compare the way each country sees the world, what they value, and the words they use to describe the same things.

Nowadays, some reference media have versions in different languages. For example, Euronews is available in 17 languages, including Arabic and Persian. However, be aware that it doesn’t necessarily mean that all versions have the same news or, if they have, the article will be exactly the same. Editions are independent from each other. National media may also have news available in different languages. For example, Deutsche Welle (DW) is a German TV channel and its website is available in 29 languages.

Below, we compare the basic structure of news media in English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Let’s start with the basics. How do you say “journalism” and “journalists” in French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese?

And what types of news media there are?

Journalists are always looking for the latest news, preferably before all the others. So, all news media have a main sector, on the front page, for this kind of news.

Journalists can write different types of pieces. Each one has its rules, for example, a specific number of words.

The news are divided into different sections, each one with their own journalists and somewhat independent. Each news media have their own sections and even the same sections may have different names. The “traditional” sections (let’s call them like that) are:

Then, news media have more specialised themes, like the following:

Pamplona, beyond the bullfighting

When walking the streets of Pamplona on a summer’s day, feeling the sun gently burning your skin and the quietude of a countryside town, one can’t imagine that every year the same streets fill with people running from angry bulls that were set free to run through a determined route. The city is then transformed, with thousands of people coming from all over the world, cheering those who are brave enough to run in front of the enraged bulls. Some get injured, a few may die, but all are full of adrenaline and exhilarate everyone around them.

When a young American journalist, stationed in Paris as a European correspondent, arrived in this city, he got immediately and forever hooked. Ernest Hemingway was so impressed with it that he included it in his book “The Sun Also Rises”, turning the running of the bulls, the main event of the Fiesta de San Fermín, into a world attraction. Pamplona reciprocated his love and it still takes pride in Hemingway’s admiration for the city. Yes, because Hemingway didn’t just enjoy the bullfighting, he enjoyed the food and the people.

Another foreigner, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey the Great, passed through this terrain a very long time ago during military campaigns on behalf of the Roman Empire. He thought there was a good place to settle the troops and, in a not very original way, he gave his name to the place he was founding (well, sort of). Over the years, the town evolved, became Christian and turned into the capital of the Kingdom of Navarra. The Fiesta de San Fermín took shape in Medieval Times to honour a Christian Saint and now is part of the city as much as the buildings that were constructed throughout the centuries.

After many battles and wars, Navarra became a Spanish region in the 16th century and, although not completely independent, it enjoys autonomy. Yet, walking through Pamplona, its capital, you could be foul into thinking that they are in fact independent. Navarra’s flag is hung everywhere and you can feel proud of being from Navarra, rather than being Spanish. However, contrary to Catalonia, people in Navarra seem to enjoy their status and they don’t wish to change it any time soon.

Bordering France in the Pyrenees, there is an immense French influence in its core. It also borders the current Basque country region and it is influenced by the Basque culture too, especially in the north. Although there are many Basque people living there, and they are considered to be part of the greater cultural Basque region, people from Navarra like to keep themselves apart. The fact they were once a powerful kingdom may have something to do with it.

In a nutshell, Pamplona is a quiet countryside town with a violent past, a unique cultural mixture, and a lively tradition.

Homeland, patrie, Heimat, patria, pátria

It is a well-known fact that Europe was devastated many times due to numerous wars throughout the centuries and, consequently, frontiers changed frequently. At that time, kingdoms and empires were really a collection of principalities and counties. The rulers of those territories would pledge their allegiance to the King or the Emperor and they were under their authority from then onwards. Common people didn’t feel they belonged to a country or that they had a nationality. They would feel they would belong to a religion or a region.

Nationalism is a political ideology that aims to make people believe they have a national identity superior to all others. This means that only a group of people (those who are part of a certain identity and possess certain characteristics) are part of a “nation”. On the other hand, patriotism is the love for one’s country and includes everyone who was born there (or acquired its citizenship) regardless of the characteristics they may have. The difference may be thin, but it does exist.

Below, we will discuss patriotism in a linguistic (and cultural) perspective.

In English (Homeland) and in German (Heimat), the country where people are born is considered their “home”. In fact, when they are abroad and they say they are going back to their own country they usually say they are “going home”. Latin languages like Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese use variations of the Latin word patria, which means “country of birth”. That is a fact. In some countries, like in Germany and in the Netherlands, homeland can be called as fatherland whereas in other countries, like in Latvia and in Russia, it can be called as motherland. In these countries, the homeland is seen as a parent who nurtures and takes care of them since they were born and it will always be there for them.

Each country has two main dimensions of action: inside the country and outside. Their designation depends on how they see the world.

1) These are the departments, offices or ministries related to matters inside the country

. USA | Homeland Security
. UK | Home Office
. Australia | Home Affairs
. Germany | Bundesministerium des Innern und für Heimat [Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community]
. France | Ministère de l’Intérieur et des Outre-mer [Ministry of the Interior]
. Italy | Ministero Interno [ Ministry of the Interior]
. Spain | Ministerio del Interior [ Minister for Home Affairs]
. Portugal | Ministério da Administração Interna [Ministry of Home Affairs]

As we can see, in English speaking countries, the department/ office/ ministry related to these matters are called “Home”. Once again, we can confirm that the country of birth is like home for them and they manage country matters as they manage their own home. In fact, one of the most important economic indicators, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), also refers to “domestic”, that is, home. In Latin countries the GDP is Gross National Product (word-by-word translation). They don’t use home-related words in any case.

Latin countries designate this ministry (all of them refer to them as ministry and not as a department or an office) as the Ministry of the Interior (with some differences), which also happens in Germany. Interestingly, in the latter, the Ministry is called “Federal Ministry of the Interior and for the Homeland” (word-by-word translation), but they are officially translated by “Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community”. For some reason, they decided to replace “Homeland” by “Community” in the English version. Here we again see that these countries tell exactly what the matters are about: the interior of the country.

2) These are the departments, offices or ministries related to matters outside the country

. USA | Department of State
. UK | Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
. Australia | Foreign Affairs and Trade
. Germany | Auswärtiges Amt [Federal Foreign Office]
. France | Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires Étrangères [Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs]
. Italy | Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation]
. Spain | Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores, Unión Europea y Cooperación [Ministry for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation]
. Portugal | Ministério de Estado e dos Negócios Estrangeiros [Ministry of State and Foreign Affairs]

The names for the departments/ offices/ ministries related to matters outside the country have much more differences between them. The USA calls it “Department of State”, which is weird as they seem to not consider international relations as an international matter. In a way, UK also has a vision that it is their responsibility to develop the world, especially the countries belonging to the Commonwealth (the former British colonies).

Italy and Spain are also interested in international cooperation, not as their responsibility, but as a partnership. Spain and France consider the European Union and Europe (this difference is not by chance) important enough to be part of the name of the ministry.

In Portugal, the current government also linked the State with the Foreign Affairs. Interestingly, in Portuguese, the Ministry is called “Ministry of State and Foreign Business” (word-by-word translation), which means that this ministry is about international business. International trade is also a great concern for Australia.

Keyword: PLACES | Exotic food

Exotic means foreign. So, basically, all food which is not traditional in your own country can be considered exotic food, including the traditional food of the neighbouring country. However, especially for travellers, exotic is usually applied to food so strange we question ourselves if we would be able to eat it.

Nowadays, the Internet is full of websites, videos, lists, advice and tips about food around the world. The strangest it is, the greatest emphasis it has. In a time when “experience” is more important than “feeling” or “knowledge”, having what may be considered “weird experiences” beats them all. So, people go and film themselves eating insects, insides of animals, and all things considered disgusting.

Exotic food can be marvelous and delicious. Think, for example, of tropical fruit like banana, coconut, mango, pineapple, papaya, and passion fruit. Or some traditional dishes, that are probably now available everywhere, like curry (originally from India), paella (originally from Spain), fish ‘n’ chips (originally from England), sushi (originally from Japan), pizza (originally from Italy), donuts (originally from USA), Peking duck (originally from China), moambe chicken (originally from Angola), tagine (originally from North Africa).

All these foods are daily food in their original countries and they give you a cultural insight of the country you may be visiting. For example, in Europe, when going on field trips, people (and especially children) usually take sandwiches with them to eat during the day. In Japan, they serve sushi. In some countries, the traditional Christmas dinner is based on fish, while in others it is based on meat. In the USA the Thanksgiving dinner is traditionally a roasted turkey whereas in China people usually eat dumplings to celebrate New Year.

Each country also has their typical desserts, for example: tiramisu (in Italy), cinnamon rolls (in Sweden), Apfelstrudel (in Austria), baklava (in Turkey), brownies (in United States), sesame balls (in China), tres leches cake (in Mexico). Besides trying the desserts, you might as well try typical drinks such as: mango lassi (in India), apple cider (in England), bubble tea (in Taiwan), sangria (in Spain), coconut water (in Brazil), sake (in Japan).

Exotic ideas for your exotic trip.

Places, lieux, Orte, lugares

When learning a foreign language, it is advisable to use it in context. That is why books and classes have simulations of situations such as “in the airport”, “meeting new people”, “daily routine”. You can do the same in real situations. Imagine you are going to travel. You can recreate the “in the airport” scenes and write and perform them in the language you are learning. All you need is the vocabulary, simple sentences, and a willingness to practice.

The airport is a good place to start. From there, you can go to different countries and different sceneries. You can make up travels, describe trips you have already made, or journeys you are about to start. You can also talk about your city or your country. The possibilities are endless.

Below we provide a list of vocabulary that you can use (in a pdf, which you can download) and some examples in English, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese. You can compare and get inspired.

Let’s start with a very simple example, which can be completed step by step.

(EN) I live in a city.
(FR) J’habite dans une ville.
(DE) Ich wohne in einer Stadt.
(ES) Vivo en una ciudad.
(PT) Vivo numa cidade.

A city is located in something bigger, like a municipality:

(EN) I live in a city, which is located in a municipality.
(FR) J’habite dans une ville située dans une municipalité.
(DE) Ich wohne in einer Stadt, die zu einer Gemeinde gehört.
(ES) Vivo en una ciudad, que está situada en un municipio.
(PT) Vivo numa cidade, que se situa num município.

Instead of going from smaller to bigger, you can go from bigger to smaller:

(EN) The world has five continents. Each continent has several countries. Each country has several regions. Each region has several municipalities. Each municipality has several cities.
(FR) Le monde compte cinq continents. Chaque continent compte plusieurs pays. Chaque pays a plusieurs régions. Chaque région compte plusieurs municipalités. Chaque municipalité compte plusieurs villes.
(DE) Die Welt hat fünf Kontinente. Jeder Kontinent hat mehrere Länder. Jedes Land hat mehrere Regionen. Jede Region hat mehrere Gemeinden. Jede Gemeinde hat mehrere Städte.
(ES) El mundo tiene cinco continentes. Cada continente tiene varios países. Cada país tiene varias regiones. Cada región tiene varios municipios. Cada municipio tiene varias ciudades.
(PT) O mundo tem cinco continentes. Cada continente tem vários países. Cada país tem várias regiões. Cada região tem vários municípios. Cada município tem várias cidades.

You can talk about your favourite places in the world:

(EN) I love the beaches in the Dominican Republic, but every winter I go to the mountains in Switzerland.
(FR) J’adore les plages de la République Dominicaine, mais chaque hiver je vais dans les montagnes en Suisse.
(DE) Ich liebe die Strände der Dominikanischen Republik, aber jeden Winter gehe ich in die Berge in der Schweiz.
(ES) Me encantan las playas de la República Dominicana, pero todos los inviernos voy a las montañas de Suiza.
(PT) Adoro as praias da República Dominicana, mas todos os invernos vou às montanhas na Suíça.

You can play with the cardinal points:

(EN) Switzerland is located in the centre of Europe. In the north is Germany, in the east is Austria, in the south is Italy and in the west is France.
(FR) La Suisse est située au centre de l’Europe. Au nord se trouve l’Allemagne, à l’est l’Autriche, au sud l’Italie et à l’ouest la France.
(DE) Die Schweiz liegt in der Mitte von Europa. Im Norden ist Deutschland, im Osten ist Österreich, im Süden ist Italien und im Westen ist Frankreich.
(ES) Suiza está situada en el centro de Europa. Al norte está Alemania, al este Austria, al sur Italia y al oeste Francia.
(PT) A Suíça está situada no centro da Europa. A norte fica a Alemanha, a leste a Áustria, a sul a Itália e a oeste a França.

Once you have enough practice in building isolated sentences, you can start building little texts. You can also build your own list of vocabulary. The best way to do this is by topics.

Keyword: MONASTERY | Bread

One of the most widespread foods, bread is greatly differentiated from region to region. As a base of probably all countries’ diets, it is sometimes a synonym of food or meal. For this reason, bread is metaphorically used on several occasions. It is a token of sharing and socializing, a way of saying that people are earning money, a religious symbol.

Bread is as old as the Neolithic. Back when humans settled in the same place and began farming and raising livestock, mixing flour (crushed grains) with water seemed a very good idea to make a nutritious food. Since then, it has evolved in terms of the flour used and the ingredients added. Egyptians found out that if the dough would ferment, the bread would be lighter. Romans invented the concept of bakery shops: shops specialised in baking bread to sell to customers. Then, during the industrial revolution, bread began to be mass-produced. Nowadays, it is recognised that artificial ingredients are not healthy and new solutions are being sought. Furthermore, people with allergies can already choose types of bread that take that into consideration.

Although quite ancient, bread has managed to remain modern. Sandwich, pizza and calzone, bun, toast, crouton are some of the dishes based on bread, but there are also soups, salads, main dishes or even desserts. You can buy bread everywhere and you can also bake it at home. There are even machines to help you with it. If you are imaginative, you can bake your own bread using different types of flour and adding original ingredients.

A life without bread is unthinkable for the majority of humankind. The truth is, few things make you feel at home like the smell of fresh bread. Therefore, bread has a past, but also a future, definitely. What future that will be, we will have to wait and see.

Lawns, cherries, cows, and chickens

Proverbs or sayings are one of the best ways to get to know the culture of a country, or a language. A language is developed according to the place where it is born. That is why snowy countries have many words for snow and words and expressions related to the sea are common in coastal countries. Of course, with colonialism and the imposition of European languages in other parts of the world, this got a little distorted. However, European languages are evolving differently in each part of the world where they were introduced. This means that European languages are adapting themselves to other realities. That is why we have British English, American English, and Australian English, for example. It is the same language (English), but with specificities in each region. Even British English is not as harmonious as people might think.

As people are similar everywhere, some proverbs or sayings have the same meaning although they are presented differently, according to the reality of each language. On the other hand, there are those which are unique and don’t have a direct equivalence. When translating these, chances are they need to be explained rather than translated.

Let’s analyse a practical example, comparing an English proverb with its equivalent in French, Germany, Spanish, and Portuguese:

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Gardens are very important in England, especially the private little gardens attached to individual houses. Together with the weather, gardening is the top topic of conversation. These gardens are usually limited by fences, which are also the boundary between gardens. It is part of human nature to compare what we have with what others have. Usually, we believe that other people’s lives are better than ours (partly because each person tries to show that their own life is better). So, by comparing the grass of their own garden with the neighbour’s grass, people are led to believe that the neighbour’s grass is greener, thus, more beautiful.

In French, the expression with the same meaning is:

L’herbe est toujours plus verte ailleurs.
TRANSLATION word by word: The grass is always greener somewhere else.

Basically, the metaphor is the same, but a little more wide-ranging. Instead of referring to the little garden next door, they talk about any grass anywhere else but there. It could be the grass from the nearest village or the grass on the other side of the country. Everywhere is better than where one is.

In Germany, the equivalent expression is:

Kirschen in Nachbars Garten schmecken immer besser.
TRANSLATION word by word: Cherries in the neighbour’s garden always taste better.

In Germany, the comparison is not about grass, but cherries. This means that German people have fruit trees in their backyards and value them more than gardens. Probably, the kids often go to other people’s property and steal fruit. Why cherries and not other fruit? As cherries like cold, the fact that it snows abundantly in Germany makes it perfect weather for them.

In Spain, it isn’t about grass or fruit trees, but animals:

Vacas ajenas dan mejor carne.
TRANSLATION word by word: Other cows give tastier meat.

Cows are very important in Spain. Besides fighting bulls, Spanish people like to eat beef. So, raising cattle is a popular activity and the quality of beef is very important.

Finally, in Portugal, the expression is also about farm animals, but a different kind of animal:

A galinha da vizinha é mais gorda que a minha.
TRANSLATION word by word: The neighbour’s chicken is fatter than mine.

In the Portuguese countryside, everyone has chickens. Everyone, no exceptions. So, chickens are very important as they provide eggs and meat. The aim is to get them fat because the fatter they are, the more meat will be there to cook.

Key place: USA’s EAST COAST | Sandwiches

Everyone knows what a sandwich is and everyone has eaten one. No mystery there. Some people have heard the story of how Earl Sandwich wanted to have something to eat without having to leave the gaming table. Hence, the name. True or not, eating bread with something inside is something that people have been doing probably since bread was invented.

The most basic sandwich you can do is to spread butter on a slice of bread. From there, you can add ham, cheese, jam… and another slice of bread. Then, you can add another slice of bread, making a kind of a double sandwich. If you fancy vegetables, you can add lettuce, tomato, grated carrot… In order to be more substantial, like a lunch or a dinner, you can put mayonnaise, a boiled egg (or a fried egg), meat or fish.

Sandwiches can be as different as your imagination. However, there are pre-defined types and some typical sandwiches per country. In The Netherlands, for example, they put the French croquette between two slices of bread and called it broodje kroket (croquette sandwich). As great fish eaters, and directly from their colonial heritage, they also have the broodje bakkeljauw, which is a sandwich with fried cod and is based on Suriname cuisine. In England, the Afternoon Tea usually comes with various sandwiches, namely the famous cucumber sandwich. They look like miniatures and can be displayed in those three-tiered dishes, like the mini-cakes. Then, there is the world-renowned club sandwich, which was invented in New York, USA. And speaking about the USA, they were also the inventors of putting the hamburger between two slices of bread.

Sandwiches can have different forms: rectangular, triangular, round, squared, baguettes. You can also design animals or other figures with different ingredients, or serve it as an “open sandwich” (the bread is the base and the ingredients seem to be escaping from it). All types of bread are allowed, and you can choose to have a healthier sandwich or one full of calories with lots of sauce or jam.

Options are endless, enjoyment is granted, fun is a plus.

Key place: LONDON, UK | Ice-cream

Ice-cream is probably a national food in Italy, where you can find good gelato everywhere. Gelato is a specific ice-cream type. Other types are sorbet, frozen yoghurt, sundae, soft ice-cream, frozen custard… What differentiates each type is how they are made. You can also find national types of ice-cream in some countries. Sorbet, for example, is based on fruit and it is an Italian version of the Persian sherbets. Frozen yoghurt uses yoghurt instead of milk or cream and it is a USA invention.

Existing since ancient times, ice-cream boomed in the 19th and 20th centuries when new techniques allowed it to be widely commercialized. Before, it was a special dessert for the rich, when its confection was too expensive, but, when the production costs decreased (much due to refrigerators), it became available to anyone. Just imagine 18th century aristocracy eating ice-cream for dessert as it was a distinct delicacy…

Agnes Marshall (1855-1905) was an English cook who understood the potential of ice-cream. She wrote and published two recipe books about it and invented the first ice-cream machine. She also created a cone from almonds to be eaten together with the ice-cream, what she called “cornets with cream”. This was the first version of the ice-cream cones we all know today. Agnes was a real pioneer and visionary not only in what ice-cream was concerned, but also in terms of cooking in general. Together with her husband, she bought a cooking school in her name shortly after a law was issued allowing women to own property. This school thrived, much due to her travels around the country giving lectures and advertising the books she published. A true entrepreneur, she did not stop innovating and she even founded a human resources company for people who wanted to hire cooks, complementing, thus, her activities in the school.

Nowadays, ice-cream is part of our daily lives. We can buy them in specialized stores, on the street, and in the supermarket. We can eat them on a plate, on a glass, on a cup, or on an edible cone. Besides the traditional flavours (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry), many new ones are being made (imagination is the limit). In fact, there are people who are paid to discover new mixes, so basically their job is to taste ice-cream. Pretty cool, yeah? There are also ice-cream cakes and baked ice-creams (look for “baked Alaska”).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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…

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.