Yearly Archives: 2014 The Masjid-i Jahān-Numā (the “World Reflecting Mosque”), situated in the heart of Old Delhi, is the largest and most important mosque in India. Built between 1644 (or 1650 – depending who you believe) and 1658, it was “the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort”. Situated on a small hill, […]  I am a stranger to my own neighbourhood. Since “repatriating” to Australia from Asia almost three years ago, my husband and I seem to have spent very little time in the country. And, as our family and friends live a long way from our home, much of the time we do spend in the country is spent in […]  History is written by the victors. So, how do the non-victors manage to tell their stories, especially to future generations who are looking back on conflicts with very different historical perspectives? How do descendants of those who were seen as perpetrators of crimes or atrocities reconcile themselves with their own histories? How do the future generations, who are often still seen […]  Exploring Jersey, that compact British Crown Dependency just off the coast of Normandy, is like walking into a living history book. Every corner of the island tells a story of significant historical importance. Take Mont Orgueil on the east coast, for example: The Duchy of Normandy, which included extensive lands in what is now north-western France, as well […]  “You do know, don’t you, that we don’t live in the mountains? Zurich is in the “Low Country!” my friend exclaimed. We were making plans for our summer visit to their Swiss home, and I was day-dreaming about Johanna Spyri’s Heidi, high-mountain meadows, and hiking in the alps amongst cows and goats with bells on. And, of […] |
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