Ecotourism is often looked at as a modern phenomenon, something that happened when environmentally-aware people started getting enough money together in their lives to travel to those places they’d only read about. This is just not true. Ecotourism is as old as tourism itself.
In fact, ecotourism history is embedded in the literature of Western civilization: Caesar’s travelogues from Britain and Gaul, Marco Polo’s exploration, and Aristotle’s stories of the strange people of Egypt are all precursors to modern ecotourism. These xamples did not have tourism as their main goal, but rather conquest, trade, and the pursuit of knowledge took center stage. (more…)
If you’re thinking of embarking on the journey of your family history search, your not alone. Ancestry.com’s UK branch has done a study that suggests that genealogical research is the new hobby of choice worldwide. “People Spend 20% More Time on Family History Websites Than Shopping Online…,” they found.
Here are some simple tips that may make your job both easy and fun in the early stages. (more…)
Everyone knows Alcatraz as the island prison in the San Francisco Bay but Alcatraz has a long history that reaches back further than its days as a federal penitentiary. In 1853 the Army Corps of Engineers began a project to fortify the island. When the project was completed 5 years later the first soldiers arrived there. During the Civil War cannons were mounted all around the island and Alcatraz became the largest American fort west of the Mississippi. (more…)
It is thought that the earliest spurs were probably made from bone or wood. Spurs have been used by horsemen and cowboys throughout the ages. In its earliest days the spur and the metal it was made with were a mark of rank. This is where the expression to “earn your spurs” came from. As punishment a knight would have his spurs and sword broken and taken away as part of his disgrace Rowels came along in France or Spain in the 10th Century or so and evolved through the Northern European and Spanish cultures according to their needs at the time. The Rowel of a spur is usually round and spins like a wheel with spikes that attach to the neck or shank of the spur. It is the part that actually touches the horse and makes a jingle noise when the rider is walking around. (more…)
No one really knows when Baby Showers actually came to be popular. It is speculated that something similar took place in Egyptian and Roman times but not proven. We do know that our early ancestors lived very rural lives without the modern conveniences that we have. Travel was a big ordeal and going anywhere was a major event. If you consider that a horse drawn wagon or carriage could only travel about 15 miles per day then you would plan on spending at least one night once you reached your destination. Being gone for long lengths of time was also difficult because most people grew their own crops and raised animals for food which required lots of attention. Without a shopping center close by people learned to be creative. Nearly everything was hand made. Even most farming tools were forged by a local black smith. (more…)
In my capacity as the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours Limited, I am in a fortunate position to be able to visit places of beauty around the world in order to pass on, first hand, my experiences to potential clients. In this case the destination was Hiroshima, Japan.
I was hard to believe that over 60 years ago that very little remained of Hiroshima after the bomb was dropped. Hiroshima today is a bustling tourist destination that shows hardly any trace of the atrocities that had once visited this place. The A- bomb Dome and a couple of hollow tree trunks are the only physical clues that something of such magnitude had happened here. (more…)
In my capacity as the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours Limited, I am in a fortunate position to be able to visit places of beauty around the world in order to pass on, first hand, my experiences to potential clients. In this case the destination was Miyajima, Japan.
It is believed that Miyajima is one of the three most scenic spots in Japan, steeped in history and tradition, with its blue seas, mountains and foliage, it was for me a huge highlight of my unforgettable trip to Japan. (more…)
Tin toy robots became very popular after the end of World War II. Most of these toys were produced in Japan with several companies leading the charge. I will focus on two of the more well known companies here and discuss how their histories are intertwined.
Horikawa The Horikawa Company was one of the most active makers of battery operated toys in Japan. The company sold hundreds of different tin toys such as rockets, space stations and many different robots. Many collectors of vintage tin robots are familiar with the Horikawa name and their “SH” logo, but many people don’t realize that Horikawa was actually a wholesaler, not the actual manufacturer. (more…)
It was in the later years of the 18th Century that there was the single most significant development within the pottery industry the formula for a perfect Fine Bone China was created. The resulting Fine Bone China had a delicate, creamy translucency combined with a brilliant whiteness, and within the pottery industry it led the way forward, inspiring new standards of artistry, skill and the renowned finish it has today. It quickly became the material of choice in which to make tea and coffee cups and mugs. (more…)
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