Arts & Culture

– Manuscript – For more than 2,000 years, only conqueror Genghis Khan and the Manchus who formed the Qing dynasty had broken through China’s Great Wall. Now, two building workers are accused of smashing through the wall to make a shortcut. The Great Wall is a cultural symbol of China and a United Nations-protected heritage area. On Wednesday, Chinese officials arrested … [Read more...] about Workers Cut Through China’s Great Wall for Shortcut

– Manuscript – The first subway station in New York City was designed to be a masterpiece and was considered a “jewel in the crown” when it opened. The trains in New York City’s public transportation system, its subway, mostly run underground. Today, the main concern of subway designers is that their systems work correctly. New York’s subway opened in 1904. City Hall … [Read more...] about Art, Culture of an Old New York Train Station

– Manuscript – On most Sundays, the sound of hammers and other tools hitting stone can be heard in the burial area of ancient Xochiaca. It is a village in the Chimalhuacan area, on Mexico City’s east side. The sounds come from stone carvers who still work on a craft that has been passed down for generations - even after the local source of stone was used up. The … [Read more...] about Stone Carvers Carry on Tradition in Mexico

– Manuscript – New kinds of drinks like smoothies, lattes, beers, and cocktails have become popular in recent years. Now a place in Dubai is serving what it claims to be “gourmet water.” Thirty different kinds of it. The Aqua Water Bar by Luqel gets its water the traditional way – from the pipe that runs water to your house. The government of Dubai in the United Arab … [Read more...] about In Dubai, ‘Gourmet Water’ Injected with Minerals

– Manuscript – The artistic director of Moscow's state-owned Bolshoi Ballet has promised the group will one day perform in the West again. The famous ballet company performed last week in China at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts. It was the company’s first performance outside of Russia since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020. The company has faced … [Read more...] about Russia’s Bolshoi Ballet Aims to Perform again in the West