Oh, I see! moments
Travel Cultures Language

Around the Wacky World of Sister Cities and Twin Towns

by Meredith Mullins on March 22, 2021

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, with cherry blossoms, a twin town with Rome and one of many sister cities around the world. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Who wouldn’t want to be sisters with Paris, especially in the spring?
© Meredith Mullins

It’s Not a Dull and Boring World

A story that features the words dull and boring can still show promise. We begin with a tale of two cities. Sister cities—Dull, Scotland, and Boring, Oregon.

This particular familial friendship (also called town twinning in Europe) was based on the humorous pairing of their town names. They even added a third city to the clan, creating a celebratory menage à trois. Bland, Australia was invited into the partnership, launching a possible new trend of town tripleting.

Protecting the Rural Heritage of France

by Meredith Mullins on March 1, 2021

Sheep in the French countryside showing the right to rural heritage. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The freedom to baa whenever you feel like it.
© Meredith Mullins

No BS: New Law To Preserve the Sounds and Smells of the French Countryside

It would not be unusual when thinking about the rural heritage of France to find a sign at the outskirts of a typical French village that says:

Enter at your own risk. We have bells that ring regularly. We have roosters who sing early in the morning. We have livestock herds that graze here (and might be wearing bells). We have farmers who work to give you food.

Art Discoveries: The Mystery in the Ceiling

by Meredith Mullins on January 25, 2021

A Humbert painting unveiled via curtain, showing art discovers that can inspire travels to the past. (Image © Meredith Mullins and Charlie Meagher.)

What treasure is hidden in this Paris ceiling?
© Meredith Mullins/Charlie Meagher

Follow the Clues & Travel Through History

The world loves stories about surprising art discoveries—treasures that are unearthed via bizarre circumstances and that send the finder on a compelling journey, perhaps including travels through history.

  • In 1940, four teenagers followed their dog down a narrow cavern and found cave walls filled with hundreds of prehistoric paintings—the now famous Lascaux caves in France.
Cave painting of a horse from the Lascaux caves, showing that art discoveries can lead to new adventures and travels to the past. (Image courtesy of the French Ministry of Culture.)

A dog discovered the famous Lascaux cave paintings.
(Photo courtesy of the French Ministry of Culture)

Copyright © 2011-2024 OIC Books   |   All Rights Reserved   |   Privacy Policy