Seven (screwed up) wonders of the totalitarian world

by Neil Woodburn on

There is something terribly crazy about totalitarian governments and their sense of architecture: monumental, gaudy, pompous, and, more often than not, in extraordinarily poor taste.

That’s whey the fine folks over at Esquire Magazine have compiled a list of what they feel are the world’s most “colossal monument[s] to narcissism.”

The Seven Wonders of the Totalitarian World, as you might imagine, is a rather bizarre assortment of architectural toy things by those drunk with power and devoid of taste. I can’t say I agree with all of them–there are certainly others that should make the list such as Kim Il Sung’s massive bronze statue in Pyongyang (above). But the ones that are included are still worth checking out nonetheless. And remember, when dictators fall, as Esquire points out, their statues soon follow–so be sure to visit soon.

Fist Crushing U.S. Fighter Plane, Libya
Monument to President Laurent Kabila, Congo
Lenin’s Mausoleum, Russia
Monument to President Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan
Mao Leading the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, China
The Hands of Victory, Iraq
Monument to the Founding of the North Korean Worker’s Party, North Korea

Mush a dog team to Chris McCandless’s bus on the Stampede Trail

by Catherine Bodry on

By now most of us are familiar with Chris McCandless and his Alaska tragedy, due to Jon Krakauer’s book “Into the Wild,” and Sean Penn’s screen adaptation of the text. It’s not that uncommon for folks to come to Alaska in search of something whether it be nature, an authentic experience, adventure,or some solitude. For folks seeking all four, McCandless has become somewhat of a role model. Martha already wrote about the the bus where McCandless died as a potentially popular destination, and the debate between locals about whether or not to remove it. It seems “wayward travelers” have been living out their Alaskan fantasies and using the bus as a sort of pilgrimage.

But now you can visit the bus by dog team in the middle of winter. What’s more, you can learn to mush your own team there. Can you think of anything more “authentically” Alaskan?

Siwa Oasis: site of Alexander the Great and a holiday feast

by Jamie Rhein on

On Thanksgiving Day Heath Cox, his family and a friend headed to the Siwa Oasis for a long weekend and to cook a turkey in a sand dune. He left this detail in the comment feature of a “What did you head this Thanksgiving?” post. Intrigued, I looked up the place. I already knew it is in Egypt since he mentioned this.

If you are going to Egypt, I’d say the Siwa Oasis is one place to put on your must see places list. Sure, take in the pyramids, but don’t stop there. According to Egypt Voyager.com, the oasis is the place Alexander the Great went to in order to meet up with the Oracle at Aghurmi, the site of the Temple of the Oracle of Amun. The Oracle pronounced Alexander a god. This must have given Alexander the umph he needed to continue his conquests. Off he went to take over the Middle East.

There are other oases in the area besides Siwa, but Siwa is the place to find a thriving cultural center. I lit up when I read you can buy baskets that are typical of this area here. I collect baskets. Those of you who are fond of silver jewelry, it looks like this is the place for you.

If you do go here, bring a turkey. According to Heath Cox, drive 10 miles out of Siwa to a sand dune, dig a big hole, put coals in it with a stuffed, foil-covered turkey, add more coals, cover it up and when the steam escapes, the turkey is done. (Okay, I hope that’s when it’s done.) Sounds yummy.

Spain nightlife: it really doesn’t get any better!

by Abha Malpani on

Ever since I’ve moved to Spain, I go out till the wee hours of the morning at least 4-nights a week, I drink way more than I ever used to, yet work better and feel healthier. Be it a Sunday night or a Monday night, for Spaniards there is no excuse not to head out.

The country is built around a culture of cañas (half-pints), elaborate menus of the day and tapas at night alongside the inborn need of Spaniards to talk (a lot!); the result — a long long life.

The average life-expectancy in Spain is 78.79 years, higher than China which stands at 72.88 years. Also, Spaniards have the general mentality of spending everything they earn on eating / socializing / partying: “what else do we work for!?” I often hear them say. This also explains why the number of people going out drops drastically in the last week of the month as their money starts running out!

So, it was no surprise that according to Country Brand Index, Spain is the hottest country for nightlife, followed by the US and Mexico. So if your plan is to party when you travel to Europe — Spain should definitely be your high on your list.

Touring New York City with Holden Caulfield

by Neil Woodburn on

I was never a big fan of Catcher in the Rye–perhaps I wasn’t screwed up enough when I was younger to really empathize with Holden Caulfield. Nonetheless, others simply love this book and consider it one of the best ever written.

For many young fans of the novel, Holden’s vision of New York as he soulfully drags himself around the Big Apple is the first introduction that many have to this great city. His journey reveals a nice sampling of the city and, according to a recent article in USAToday, can still serve today as an unofficial guide since most all of the landmarks are still standing.

“Holden Tours” are actually quite popular according to Beth J. Harpaz, the author of the article. There are no official tours, however, which means that fans have to create their own–something that is now much easier thanks to the do-it-yourself tips that Harpaz provides.

Although fans will recognize Central Park, Grand Central Station, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art from the book, Harpaz fails to mention the most notorious landmark associated with Catcher in the Rye: The Dakota. If you really want to hate the book, be sure to visit the building where its most disturbed fan gunned down John Lennon immediately after the singer signed a copy of the book for his soon-to-be murderer.