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.

Cultural Encounters: Ice Cream Around the World

by Meredith Mullins on August 17, 2020

A global favorite
© Minsun Lee

The Inside Scoop on a Global Favorite 

 I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.

Have you belted out those lyrics . . . or do you remember, in your childhood, having a Pavlovian response to the seductive call of an ice cream truck bell or jingle?

My ice cream truck tune still occasionally pops up from my subconscious childhood playlist and reminds me of the truck getting closer and closer to our house.

Cultural Encounters: The Art of Selling in Southeast Asia

by Meredith Mullins on June 22, 2020

The art of selling
© Meredith Mullins

A Card Made from Elephant Dung, A Rum Cigar, Cobra Whiskey . . . Why Not?

“Mary! Mary! Hello, Mary!”

The cry seemed to leap from the dark beach as our boat got closer to shore. I was being welcomed home at the end of a stunning sunset cruise.

But, wait a minute, I was in Myanmar . . . and I didn’t know a soul. No one except Sandar, that is.

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