Cultura.
Stories of international travel, culture and relocation
Travel
Exploring personal journeys of discovery, from off-the-beaten track trips and slow tourism, to practical tips and product reviews.
Culture
Deep dives into all aspects of international culture, including local history, social events, music, cuisine and more.
Relocation
Investigating push and pull factors, expectations, realities, challenges and rewards of moving to another country.
Latest articles
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In Helsinki, December afternoons arrive and leave quickly, like a visitor without an intention to stay. As temperatures drop well below freezing point, city dwellers refuse to leave their homes as early as 3pm. Many experience Kaamos, a Finnish term for seasonal depression. On an online discussion forum, a business traveler visiting Helsinki writes: “By…
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Intersected by the dormant volcano of Mount Teide, Tenerife is a story of two halves. While the sunworshipper pilgrimage tends to head south for the beaches and pretty much guaranteed dry, warm weather, tropical Tenerife lies to the north, often offering lush vegetation, plantations and palms. OK, it’s slightly cooler here. And more humid. That’s…
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Part 3 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. In my childhood, my mom took me to Dr. Rose, an eye doctor who had his own office in Alton. The trip was an adventure. I was born and raised in…
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Part 2 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. Since childhood, my plan was to earn a doctorate and work as a college professor. In my early 20s, I collected my bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in…
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Protest art takes its shape in various forms, emerging as creative elements that challenge and criticise the injustice powerplay in society. Political cartoons and caricatures have long had a dual purpose: to critique political figures and to entertain the masses. Whether it was the Roman satirical drawings, James Gillray’s political cartoons or Benjamin Franklin’s 1754…
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Part 1 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. When I was young, my parents would take me to the 8,000-plus acres of Pere Marquette State Park, just north of Alton, Illinois. We’d drive up Illinois Route 3 from where…
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Being an avid collector of old civil rights material, I’d already amassed a pile of these NAACP membership cards. I guess what drew my attention to this particular one that appeared on eBay was the date—coinciding with the passing of the 1963 Civil Rights Act. Like most who buy on that platform I tend to…
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Malta has been on everyone’s hit list, and not just that of tourists – centuries of invasions and colonisation are confirmation of that. There’s a theory that Greeks gave the island its name – Malta is close to their word Melite meaning honey-sweet, affirming the centuries-long association with production of varieties such as ghasel tas-saghtar,…
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As a freelance writer, I find myself in various settings while striving for productivity. But inspiration doesn’t necessarily arrive in a ta-da! moment. Sometimes just being surrounded by serenity and visual splendour is all that’s needed, and I’m pleased to announce I’ve found my spot. It’s even right here, on my doorstep—a not-so-little piece of…
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Fifteen years ago this summer, I had a heart attack on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic, on the way to England. My wife Linda and I were on board the Independence of the Seas, doing what we did every morning—exercising before breakfast. She was pedalling on a recumbent bike. I was…
