Tag Archives: UNESCO

The historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley in Central Nepal are the Newar (Newari) people. The region sits at the crossroads of Indian and Tibetan culture, and while the people speak a Tibeto-Burman language, their culture has been strongly influenced by Indian religious and social institutions. Most Newari people – over 80% – identify as […]

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The centre of Cairo, Egypt’s sprawling and populous ancient capital on the banks of the Nile River, is so dense with vibrant culture and UNESCO- listed history as to be overwhelming. So, it pays to sample small sections at a time. The Al-Sayeda Zainab Governorate is one of the city’s oldest and most crowded neighbourhoods. […]

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You could people-watch for hours in Kathmandu’s Durbar (Palace) Square! Until the 19th century, the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex was the principal residence for the Malla and Shah kings who ruled over Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley and the Newari (Newar) people, the valley’s historical inhabitants and the people who gave Nepāl its name. The Newari still […]

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This is a long way from the Southern Spanish beaches of the Costa del Sol that are favoured by crowds of Northern European visitors who want to sit in the sun! Here, at the opposite end of the country – in Asturias, Northern Spain – stunning craggy mountains rise up in all directions. The wilds are […]

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It was raining. But that didn’t stop the residents of Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, from coming out into the streets and public spaces to celebrate their cultural heritage. I was very lucky with the Sunday I had by myself exploring the delightful city: a local troupe was performing traditional folk dances under the protective roof […]

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