Apr 26th, 2012 at 3:00PM: When you stroll through a museum, you generally assume that all those ancient artifacts you're seeing were dug up by professional archaeologists or found by accident by some farmer plowing his field. Mostly you'd be correct, but researchers into England's Roman past are getting some unexpected help. . .from moles.
Moles at the site of Epiacum, a Roman fort dating from the first to the fourth ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
rome posts
Roman Fort Attacked By Moles, Archaeologists Benefit
Apr 26th, 2012 at 3:00PM: When you stroll through a museum, you generally assume that all those ancient artifacts you're seeing were dug up by professional archaeologists or found by accident by some farmer plowing his field. Mostly you'd be correct, but researchers into England's Roman past are getting some unexpected help. . .from moles.
Moles at the site of Epiacum, a Roman fort dating from the first to the fourth ...Cockpit Chronicles: Getting More Out Of Layovers
Apr 19th, 2012 at 9:00AM: For some, life couldn't be any more perfect than if they were paid to travel. I've run across three airline crew members who have discovered ways to keep their jobs fresh and exciting by embracing what is for them the biggest benefit that comes with working for an airline: travel.
You hear about the turbulence in the airline industry nearly every week – layoffs, pay cuts, pensions lost ...Italy's Famous Monuments Hit By Austerity Measures
Apr 11th, 2012 at 11:00AM: Hard economic times in Italy are threatening that country's priceless cultural heritage.
The Times of Oman reports that billionaire Diego Della Valle said he's thinking of withdrawing the 25 million euros ($33 million) he promised last year to restore the Colosseum, which has been crumbling due to lack of maintenance. An even more serious problem is Pompeii, which suffered a couple of ...Six Of The Most Scenic Train Trips In Europe
Apr 11th, 2012 at 10:30AM:
Forget flying around Europe. At 30,000 feet it's impossible to truly experience the continent's remarkable landscapes. Rather than being shuttled around in a plane that only allows a birds-eye view, train trips immerse travelers in the terrain. There's a reason why trains are often thought of as the most romantic mode of transportation: riding the rails makes you feel more connected and in ...Visiting Synagogues Around The World
Apr 6th, 2012 at 9:00AM:
Places of worship have long been points of interest for travelers. Solemn and usually quite ornate, these buildings provide a window onto a community's history and values and often give visitors a much-needed pause while pounding the sightseeing pavement. Cathedrals are typical for this kind of touring. But have you ever thought to pay a visit to a synagogue?
My fascination with exploring ...Cockpit Chronicles: Captain on the MD-80? Why?
Mar 22nd, 2012 at 10:00AM: Captain on the MD-80? Are you crazy?
I received a comment from a reader recently to that effect. What was I thinking, bidding to an airplane that my company was rapidly retiring and choosing to go back on reserve, ready to fly at a moment's notice to places like Kansas City and Tulsa instead of Rome and Paris? And what about the commute to Germany?
"Why would you do this?" He asked.
I ...Must read e-book: Fatal Voyage, the Wrecking of the Costa Concordia
Mar 14th, 2012 at 5:00PM: Looking for a relaxing read en route to your cruise? Then don't buy Fatal Voyage, The Wrecking of the Costa Concordia, a Kindle Singles e-book that takes an in-depth look at the modern day Titanic.
Written by journalist John Hooper, the e-book covers one of the worst passenger ship disaster since the Titanic in engaging detail. Numerous interviews with survivors describe plates falling as the ...Five toilet paper alternatives for the road (or if you live in New Jersey)
Mar 13th, 2012 at 12:00PM:
Trenton, New Jersey, has a serious problem. The city government is in a fight with their paper goods supplier over prices and the city's buildings are in danger of running out of toilet paper. What can they do for their voters in need? Installing bidets would be more expensive than simply paying the high cost the government contractor is demanding. Luckily, there are some other alternatives ...Trekking mobility chairs make planet accessible to all
Feb 16th, 2012 at 4:00PM:
Travelers challenged with mobility issues often had to take a back seat to adventure travelers in the past, viewing dreams-of-a-lifetime from a distance. Now, dedicated companies and organizations are making destinations around the planet accessible to all, even in unlikely places.
Visiting Italy's iconic attractions can be a daunting task for the handicapped. Ancient ruins, preserved and ...Is the Colosseum crumbling?
Dec 31st, 2011 at 10:00AM: Economic instability, a change of government, and now this.
It looks like Italy's most famous landmark, the Colosseum, may be crumbling. The Culture Ministry has launched an investigation after eyewitnesses spotted bits of stone falling off the Roman ruin on two different occasions in recent days.
An Italian shoe company has promised to restore the Colosseum with an ambitious 25 million euro ...How to access free WiFi in Rome
Dec 29th, 2011 at 5:00PM: Anyone who has ever tried to access free WiFi in Rome probably won't be surprised by a recent Business Insider headline proclaiming that Italians Don't Care About the Internet.
According to a report released by ISTAT, Italy's official statistics bureau, only 54.5% of Italians have access to the Internet, and 26.7% of Italians think the Internet is "useless" and "uninteresting".
It follows, ...Early Christian art on display at the Onassis Cultural Center, NYC
Dec 8th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
It's often called the Dark Ages, a time when barbarian hordes overran Rome and that great civilization's art, culture, and learning disappeared. A time when there were no great achievements.
It's a misnomer.
Rome did not fall in the fifth century with the usurpation of the last emperor in Rome in 476. To the east, at the new capital of Constantinople, modern Istanbul, the Eastern Roman ...Roman sites in Libya survived the war mostly unscathed, initial reports show
Dec 1st, 2011 at 9:00AM:
The recent fighting in Libya that toppled Gaddafi destroyed many lives and laid waste to many neighborhoods. Now that the country is beginning to rebuild, Libyans are taking stock of other effects of the war.
Libya's beautiful Roman remains, it appears, got off easy. Earlier this week, the Guardian reported that the Roman cities of Lepcis Magna and Sabratha both survived the war without any ...Is the Romulus and Remus statue a copy from the Middle Ages?
Nov 22nd, 2011 at 2:00PM:
It's one of the most famous symbols of ancient Rome--the legendary Romulus and Remus suckling from a she-wolf. Legend has it the brothers were born to a Vestal Virgin who had been abducted by the war god Mars. Abandoned, they were raised by a she-wolf. As adults they fought each other. Romulus killed Remus and went on to build Rome. The statue graces Rome's Capitoline Museum and is photographed ...Photo of the day - St. Peter's and a puddle
Nov 17th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
When taking travel photos, we spend a lot of time looking for the right background. Whether it's capturing a candid portrait or framing the perfect landscape, it's not always easy to convey a beautiful scene in a photograph. Flickr user John Overmeyer used a humble puddle of rain to elevate this night shot of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Of course, flawless composition, lighting, and luck ...Tracing Twitter to 16th century Rome
Nov 17th, 2011 at 10:00AM:
The ugliest statue in Rome is not easy to find. Tucked away in an alley off of Piazza Navona, blending in to the unremarkable stone façades of the buildings behind him, Pasquino, a human-shaped stump of marble resting on a pedestal pasted with notes and cartoons, hides in plain sight from most tourists who saunter past on their way to this district's many renowned restaurants, bars, and ...Historic stretch of Hadrian's Wall repaired
Oct 15th, 2011 at 2:00PM:
A stretch of Hadrian's Wall, the famous fortification in northern England that for centuries marked the northernmost boundary of the Roman Empire, has been repaired.
After 2,000 years, parts of the fortification meant to keep out northern barbarians are in pretty bad shape. People have stolen stones over the past several centuries and you can see parts of the wall in local farmhouses and ...Interesting indoor spaces around the world
Oct 4th, 2011 at 5:00PM: I love the outdoors, to the extent that I tend to bypass or overlook exceptional indoor spaces when I'm traveling or recounting a great trip. Fortunately, Lonely Planet author/former Gadling contributor Leif Pettersen's recent list on LP's website has reminded me that---as many a grandmother has said---beauty is on the inside.
Pettersen says only in recent years has he developed a special ...New exhibit sheds light on Antonine Wall, the Roman Empire's northernmost border
Sep 22nd, 2011 at 11:30AM: There's not much left of it now, just a deep swale in the earth and a few stones jutting out of the grass. Almost two thousand years ago, though, it was the northernmost boundary of the Roman Empire.
The Antonine Wall protected a narrow part of Scotland between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde, from the 140s to 160s AD. After the Emperor Hadrian built Hadrian's Wall across what is now ...David's Discoveries: Rome's most charming neighborhood -- Garbatella
Aug 22nd, 2011 at 9:00AM:
Say "Rome" and like Pavlov's dog, millions worldwide will bark "Colosseum," "Forum" or "Vatican."
Ask even an intrepid traveler with an insider's track on the Eternal City and you still probably won't get "Garbatella" in reply.
Yet these days Garbatella is among Rome's hippest, most charming and atmospheric neighborhoods, with one of my favorite authentic, throw-back trattorias anywhere. ...
