Genghis Khan exhibit in Chicago the biggest ever

by Sean McLachlan on

A new exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago spotlights the world’s greatest conqueror.

Genghis Khan brings together the largest collection of 13th century Mongol artifacts ever. The exhibition traces the career of Genghis Khan from his birth in 1162, to a noble but obscure family, through his conquest of an empire that was larger than the Roman Empire. In fact, it was the largest ever, stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the gates of Vienna, and he built it in just 25 years.

More than 200 objects are on display including a Mongolian house, silk robes, weapons, and even the mummy of a Mongolian noblewoman.

The exhibition shows that while Genghis Khan was a bloodthirsty warrior, he was a clever statesman too. He established a complex and efficient form of government, a postal system, paper currency, diplomatic immunity, even wilderness preserves and laws against littering. His conquests had a profound impact on the development of Asia and Europe.

Genghis Khan runs until September 3.

Photo courtesy the Field Museum.

2012 is shaping up to be a big year for Islamic art

by Sean McLachlan on

This year, several major exhibitions and new galleries are focusing on Islamic art.

The biggest news comes from Paris, where the Louvre is building a new wing dedicated to Islamic art. This is the biggest expansion to the museum since the famous glass pyramid. The new wing will have room to display more than 2500 artifacts from the Louvre’s permanent collection as well as notable loans. It will open at an as-yet undetermined date this summer.

In London, the British Museum is hosting two Islamic-related exhibits–one on the Hajj and one on Arabian horses. In Provo, Utah, the Brigham Young University Museum of Art is running Beauty and Belief: Crossing Bridges with the Arts of Islamic Culture. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston opened two new galleries last December that include displays of Islamic art from Asia, and the Met in New York City also opened a new gallery late last year dedicated to the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Later South Asia.

Islamic art is also facing some challenges this year. Looting and selling national treasures on the international art market always happens in times of political unrest. It happened in Iraq and Afghanistan and now it’s happening in Libya, where the death of Qaddafi did little to stabilize the situation. Syria is another country to watch. Sadly, unscrupulous “collectors” take advantage of civil wars and poverty to grab historic treasures for cheap.

Photo of eleventh century crystal ewer with birds in the Louvre collection courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

10 museums that will make you feel like a kid again

by Jessica Festa on

Usually when you hear about a “family-friendly museum,” you can assume that what the experience will be tailored around is children. But why should kids be the only ones who get to have fun?

With these ten museums, adults will be able to travel back to a time when playing with dolls, watching cartoons, riding rocking horses, and running through rooms full of fun-house mirrors was acceptable. Carefree days, heartfelt laughs and being immersed in a world where everything looks and feels brand new are easily attainable no matter how old you are.

To learn more about these museums and how to experience being a kid again for yourself, check out the gallery below.

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Mathaf: Doha layover suggestion

by Alex Robertson Textor on

With the rise of Qatar Airways as a long-haul airline, Doha has become an increasingly easy short-term layover destination. The Qatari flag carrier boasts especially good links between Europe and Asia via Doha. Its route map include a whopping 12 cities in India, three in China, and four in Pakistan; notably, the airline also shuttles European tourists to the Indian Ocean holiday playgrounds of the Maldives and Seychelles. In 2012, Qatar Airways will introduce an additional slate of fascinating destinations, including Kiev, Kigali, Perth, and Zanzibar.

Doha’s got plenty of tourism draws, including the renovated Souq Waqif, the Museum of Islamic Art, and its Corniche. Qatar is terribly rich, with the world’s highest or second-highest GDP, depending on the evaluation matrix. As you might expect, Doha’s infrastructure for visitors is undeniably impressive. The city is also in the midst of a major construction boom. The stadiums under construction for the 2022 World Cup alone will keep construction humming through the end of the decade.

Since the tail-end of 2010, Doha has been home to Mathaf, Qatar’s Arab Museum of Modern Art. Mathaf’s current show, Cai Guo-Qiang’s Saraab, features 16 impressive commissioned pieces and scores of past works. Guo-Qiang is a major artist, famous for his large-scale projects involving gunpowder and fireworks. He is particularly well known for orchestrating the extraordinary fireworks displays at the 2008 Beijing Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies.

In Arabic, “saraab” means mirage. The exhibition endeavors to explore connections between Quanzhou, Guo-Qiang’s hometown, and Doha, as well as between China and the Arab world more generally. Trade links between Quanzhou and the Arabian Peninsula are not difficult to trace–the former was once the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road–and Guo-Qiang makes the most of this connection. One particularly appealing piece, titled Endless, consists of three boats, one Chinese and two Qatari, sitting side-by-side in a shallow pool, shrouded in mist.

The museum, located in a former school building, was revamped smartly by the French architect Jean-François Bodin. Other notable features of the museum include a library with a great magazine selection and a cute café.

Mathaf is a good 14 kilometers (about eight miles) from central Doha. The going rate for a taxi from a hotel is 60 riyal ($16.50). Admission to exhibitions costs 25 riyal (just shy of $7) per person. The museum is closed on Monday. Saraab runs through May 26.

10 things to do in every city you visit

by Jessica Festa on

While every city has its own unique landmarks, culture, and sights to see, there are certain general things you can do in any city you visit to make your experience more memorable. To enhance your next trip, take this checklist with you and try to do each of these things in every city you visit.

Sample the local cuisine

One way to really get to know a culture is through the food. It’s seriously incredible how much cuisine can differentiate from culture to culture, and how much the way food is prepared and eaten, as well as what the food is, can tell you about a community. When visiting Ghana, Africa, I was amazed at how most of the staple foods seemed to come from root vegetables and were eaten without swallowing and without using utensils. While I wouldn’t say fu-fu and banku are my favorite foods, I definitely am glad I tried them and got to see the intense preparation that went into making these dishes. Even if you travel to a western country or a place that isn’t too different from your own, try a local favorite or something that the area is known for (it will almost definitely taste better than what you’re used to anyway). If you’re in Maine make sure to have a lobster. Visiting Naples, Italy? Eat a slice of pizza from its birthplace. Traveling to Australia? Vegemite, Tim Tams, and barbequed meats are definite musts.Sip the country’s signature drink

While all regions have local dishes, there is usually a signature drink as well, whether it be a cocktail or locally produced wine or beer. Many times the local libation will not only give you a good buzz, but will also give you insight into the culture and region. Drink a Guinness in Ireland and you’ll also be tasting a bit of the local Wicklow Mountains. Sip on a Caipirnha in Brazil and you’ll not only be ingesting the locally produced cachaça; you’ll also be learning that the now sophisticated drink was originally a country bumpkin favorite, which is what the name literally translates to.

Visit a museum

What better way to get background information and get to know the roots of a place than through its artifacts, history, art, architecture, and old photographs. Maybe you’ll find something of particular interest to you and you’ll want to go out into the city and explore it further. Museums are great starting points for igniting a traveler’s curiosity about a culture and place, whether it be to go visit a historical site, visit a local art gallery, or read a book on an ancient civilization.

See a local craftsman at work

I try to do this as much as possible when traveling, as you’ll often meet people who are happy to share personal stories on their work and how it relates to their culture. In Ghana, I loved going to the shops of local painters and watching them work, asking them a million questions about what the symbols on their pieces meant and where they got their inspiration from. From this, I learned a lot about drum culture in Ghana as well as the importance of God and even some old legends. Moreover, in Morocco, I got to sit and watch a local tile maker create authentic Moorish tiles, something I didn’t know was even relevant to the culture. He even gave me a tile as a souvenir, and when the Moroccan Courtyard exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in my home state of New York, it felt really good to have a firsthand account of the craft and the culture.

Ride the local public transport system

Not only will opting for public transportation over taxis and car rentals save you money, it will also help you become a better navigator of the city. Moreover, you’ll get to experience how a normal person in the city lives and potentially even get to interact with a local. In Ghana, Africa, their form of public transportation was the tro-tro (shown right), which was basically a packed-out van, usually with the seats barely attached to the floor. Working up the nerve to actually figure out how to take the tro-tro was scary, but once I did it I definitely felt more culturally immersed. Plus, a lot of interesting impromptu events happen on the tro-tro, like sermons, choir singing, and unique product demonstrations.

Learn some basic phrases in the local language

I don’t think there’s any greater accomplishment when traveling then actually being able to have a conversation with a local in their language. It can be as simple as exchanging greetings, asking someone for their name, and telling them it was nice to meet them. People will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to try to get to know their language, and if you can barter in the local tongue, you’re also less likely to get ripped off in the markets and when taking a taxi.

Have an experience in nature

While it’s important to get to know the people and culture of a city, it’s also worthwhile to get to deeper understanding of the place itself. Explore the landscape; the wildlife, mountains, rivers, beaches, valleys, forests, rock, and plants. Go hiking, rafting, swimming, or climbing and just really get to know a place in its raw form. It’s also great if you can go with a local guide, as you’ll be able to learn more about legends and meanings of certain places, medicinal plants, and how to safely interact with wildlife. Not only is it a budget-friendly way to enjoy a region; it’s also healthy to spend time outdoors and you’ll get some great photo opportunities.

Befriend a local

I don’t mean ask a local for directions or where a great restaurant is, but instead ask them to go to a restaurant with you. It may seem odd at first, but hanging out with a local is a great way to find out the “personal” side of a cultural and can also give you access to experiences you may not have otherwise had. From befriending locals in Thailand I got the chance to eat meals at peoples’ homes, attend community events in remote villages, and learn to cook in local kitchens. I also got onto a few free-entry, free-drink guestlists at clubs that I never would have had access to by myself.

Browse a local market

Skip the high-end chain shops and the restaurants with signs that read “English menu available” and instead opt for the outdoor markets. These colorful, aesthetically-pleasing places are usually bursting with energy, delicious food, and quality merchandise. In terms of cuisine, markets offer fresh healthy, foods that are usually cheaper and more flavorful than anything you’ll get at a supermarket. And the handicrafts, housewares, and clothing that are offered are usually authentic and locally-made.

Watch a cultural tradition or ceremony

The traditions and ceremonies a culture partakes in tell a lot about their values and beliefs, and because they vary so much from region to region, make for a really memorable experience. I remember in Laos taking part in the Alms Giving tradition where the locals wake up at dawn to feed the monks as they line up in a procession down the street with their food baskets. It really sparked my interest to learn more about Buddhism and monk culture in South East Asia, and my inquisition led me to go with a local to attend a prayer service at one of the temples. The tradition and what I learned really left an impression on me even after I returned home.