From wind chimes to Samurai fart battles, the history of wind in Japan engages all the senses (except taste).
Cultures & traditions
The love market of Vietnam
What is Vietnam’s love market? Does it sell romantic gifts, or aphrodisiacs maybe? Nope, this love market is different…
Vietnamese Water Puppets
Water puppetry is a Vietnamese tradition that dates back almost a thousand years. Think of it as a more refined Punch & Judy show with less shouting and a lot more water!
Wintery myths and legends
We know that spring will soon be here, but in the past people couldn’t be so sure. So what did folk around the world think caused the cold conditions and long nights?
Unusual races from around the world
Running on a treadmill, or pounding the same old streets, can be a bit repetitive. So why not enter one of these unusual races instead?
Legends and folklore from around Poland
Poland is a country with beautiful cities, mountains and forests. But, beneath the beauty, it has a strange history of kings being eaten by mice, musicians being hit by arrows and dragons drinking so much that they pop.
Autumn traditions from around the world
Autumn is here (apparently) and we all have our own traditions, be it the first pumpkin spice latte of the season, or the ceremonial Changing of the Coats. But what about the rest of the world? What do they do when the leaves start to fall from the tree and the nights get darker?
Bizarre beauty rituals from Korea
I Iove myself a good evening pamper session. I’ll find any excuse to pour a glass of wine, run a nice hot bath and put on a face mask. But in Korea, many people take their Sunday evening pamper session to a whole new level.
Burial of the sardine: Spain’s strange Ash Wednesday tradition
The more I learn about Spain and its customs, the more questions I have. Whilst talking about Pancake Day and Ash Wednesday to my Spanish boyfriend, he exclaimed, “Oh! Yes, I know. When you bury the sardine!”
The Egyptian pyramids: When, how and why
The pyramids. What could be more majestic and mysterious than these pointy tombs in the deserts of Egypt? Not a lot to be honest with you. The only thing more mysterious I can think of is who actually likes those coffee-filled chocolates you always get lumbered with?