The Bahrain National Museum has on display a captivating tableau depicting the ancient Mesopotamian epic of Gilgamesh and Enki (aka Enkidu). The connection between Gilgamesh and the Dilmun civilization lies in the epic's references to Dilmun (modern-day Bahrain) as a paradisiacal land of bliss and eternal youth. The museum has an entire hall dedicated...

Over the last half-century Cinco de Mayo has morphed from a relatively quiet commemoration of the Mexican army’s victory over French troops in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, into a United States-centric celebration, usually centered around tacos and margaritas (and often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which is actually September 16). But...

Downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma contains many examples of Art Deco architecture, but among those many marvels, one building stands out as nearly a parody of the style. The “fauxback” Denver Avenue Station, with its exaggerated Art Deco elements, is not an architectural wonder. Instead, its form tells the story of Tulsa’s boom, protracted decline, and hope...

Though the New Year might start on January 1, and the calendar puts mid-March as the start of spring, May is when it finally feels like winter is over. In England and North America, May and June also once meant the return of an exciting seasonal celebration: the strawberry party. Jane Austen’s 1815 novel Emma depicts a June strawberry party hosted...

In the upscale Prati neighborhood of Rome hides a sinister sanctum of horror with an underground dungeon displaying the darker side of Italian cinema. Founded in 1989, Profondo Rosso is a lot more than a mere little shop of horror memorabilia. To begin with, its owner is none other than Dario Argento himself – the giallo legend known for such glaring,...

While Chioggia is known for its canals, to the extent it is also known as "little Venice," most of its canal footbridges are relatively simple. However, where Vega Canal meets the sea a brilliant white structure, the Ponte Vigo, catches the eye. The current Vigo bridge is made of Istrian stone with marble balustrades and dates back to 1685. It is...