So this Great Wall thing’s the real deal, right?

by Brett Atkinson on

Forget bootleg iPhones and bogus DVDs. Just when you think China’s finally getting serious on the purveyors of dodgy counterfeits comes news that a Hamburg museum may have been duped with a touring exhibition of the Terracotta Army from Xian.

They thought the assorted statuary was the real deal, but apparently it’s not that simple.

(You would have thought the “Made In China” logos were a giveaway but obviously not).

But does it really matter, when scores of satisfied punters have been to the exhibition before this hub-bub of half-truth?

If the real thing was on display, would anyone have known the difference, and is it any different from the cosmetic surgery applied to historical sites like Angkor Wat or Knossos in Crete?

Your starter for ten: “Exactly what does authentic mean when it comes to travel?”

Thanks to mick y on Flickr for the pic (I’m pretty sure these ones are the real thing).

One for the Road: Local Girl Makes History

by Kelly Amabile on

Like yesterday’s selection, today’s book pick comes via a San Francisco book store. Local Girl Makes History: Exploring Northern California’s Kitsch Monuments is a unique title that grabbed my eye while browsing the City Lights website. The famous SF bookseller is also the publisher of this niche kitsch guide to Northern Cali’s special structures. Author Dana Frank is a Bay area historian who takes a series of local daytrips to places she has visited since her youth, uncovering secrets and exploring urban myths of popular spots like the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s Cave Train Ride and the Puglas Water Temple.

The result is a smart and funny memoir mixed with historical research and reflections on politics and culture too. From the publisher:

Full of surprises and plot twists along the way, her adventures are quirky, fun and informative. The tension between private memory and public history draws us deeper and deeper into each investigation, and small places in California come to symbolize larger political questions in the United States.

Frank’s collection of essays is accompanied by photos, maps, and driving directions, producing a nice combo of memoir complete with practical guidebook details to boot! She’ll be appearing at City Lights in early January to talk about the book.

Human Rights Day is tomorrow, but the walk in Malaysia is canceled

by Jamie Rhein on

International Human Rights Day is tomorrow, December 10. The day was established by the UN to commemorate the Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the general assembly of the UN in 1948.

When I was looking for information to let you, the Gadling reader, know what events are going on in the world to make the world a nicer place in honor of Human Rights Day, I found web pages that could not be displayed and information from years past. Even the UN Web site page where this logo is from is from last year’s announcement. It’s easier to find out information about St. Nicholas Day. (I guess they are related, come to think of it.)

I did find out that the Human Rights Day walk in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that was scheduled to happen today, Dec. 9, has been canceled. The logistics might have been nightmarish? Still, there is an event in the Central Market that sounds interesting. There’s a lip-reading of the Declaration of Human Rights (even this link is 9 years old) and stage performances. I do think there are events and talks going on in various parts of the world, but people who are busy promoting human rights may not have a lot of time to update Web sites, or the organization isn’t prominent enough to show up at the top of the list in a search. I’m just saying. If you know of something, pass on the news.

Now that you know it’s Human Rights Day tomorrow, smile and play fair–not that you wouldn’t anyway. We can all do our part.

One for the Road: Hotel – An American History

by Kelly Amabile on

A copy of this book, paired with some room reservations at a classic American hotel, might be a nice holiday gift for the history buff in your life: Hotel – An American History is a volume of stories and illustrations that explores how the hotel came to be in this country. The book tracks the invention of hotels in America, as inns and taverns gave way to the creation of majestic architectural masterpieces suited with grand ballrooms and private bed chambers. This review tells more:

Once upon a time, hotels were simply way-stations where weary travelers could stop to rest along a journey that could take many days. But over the centuries, hotels evolved into the symbols of American capitalism and of urban life. The biggest and best of them provided glamour, sophistication, elegance, and excitement, and A. K. Sandoval-Strausz has now given them the recognition they deserve. Beautifully illustrated and engagingly written, Hotel will reward both the specialist and the general reader.-Kenneth T. Jackson, Columbia University

Topics explored include: What it was like to sleep, eat, and socialize at a hotel in the mid-1800s; How hotelkeepers dealt with the illicit activities of adulterers, thieves, and violent guests; The stories behind America’s greatest hotels, including the Waldorf-Astoria, the Plaza, the Willard, the Blackstone, and the Fairmont; and how the development of steamboats and locomotives helped create a nationwide network of hotels.

St. Nicholas Day: Santa Claus is coming to town in spades

by Jamie Rhein on

Two Sundays ago, we saw our first Santa Claus of the season riding on a float at the end of the Holiday Lights Parade in Gahanna, Ohio. Since my son is five, I’ve come up with elaborate reasons why Santa is in so many places at the same time.

On December 6, Santa Claus–aka St. Nicholas– has his own special day. St. Nicholas Day, a holiday started to honor Bishop Nicholas, the man who used his inheritance from his wealthy family to feed the sick and clothe the poor, particularly children, back in 3rd century Greece. He started the Santa Claus tradition.

Today finds St. Nicholas visiting schools, churches and museums, plus taking part in town parades and festivals. Most of them are in Europe, but he pays visits elsewhere to spread the idea that it’s good to give–even Walt Disney World, the Epcot Center is passing the word. Here, St. Nicholas is visiting guests at the Germany Pavilion. In some places, St. Nicholas has been making visits since the middle of November, but today is the feast day.

If you want to find St. Nicholas close to you, here’s a link that lists the various countries with St. Nicholas activities. Those links lead to links of specific events. The one in the photograph actually took place last Sunday in Germany. From what I can tell the spirit of St. Nicholas is catching on with my son. Yesterday, when I showed him a Toys For Tots present I bought to give away, he didn’t say, “I want one too.”