A student took this photo of Stonehenge while on an Explorica educational tour
Over in Harry Potter’s homeland is Stonehenge. Though even Harry himself might be baffled by this wonder. That’s because its Neolithic builders who lived in England roughly 5,000 years ago didn’t keep written records telling us when, why or how Stonehenge was built.
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Wonders of the World
Ever wondered what’s so wonderful about the Wonders of the World? Join Explorica for a mind-boggling exploration into three of the world’s greatest architectural triumphs that have many scratching their heads over how and why they were constructed. We’ll travel to the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, head northwest to England’s mystical Stonehenge, before making a lengthy trip across the Atlantic to the Incan city of Machu Picchu in Peru. So grab your Indiana Jones hat and let’s go!
Wonders of the World, Part 1: The Great Pyramid of Giza
So amazing is the Great Pyramid of Giza that not only is it the oldest Ancient Wonder of the World but it’s also an honorary member of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Even more amazing is that in its heyday (that’s 2,500 B.C.) this Great Pyramid was the tallest building in the world, standing at a massive 480 feet. (Or about a third as tall as the Empire State Building). And it held that record for a whopping 3,800 years! Archeologists believe that the Pyramid of Giza was built as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu, leader of Egypt‘s fourth dynasty. (Incidentally, his name means “the god Khnum protects me.” Though legend has it that he was anything but a protector, except of himself, demanding money from anyone who came near him—including his own daughter.) Enter the Great Pyramid and be dazzled by the number of complicated corridors and pathways (constructed that way to confuse grave robbers) that lead to the King’s Chamber, the Queen’s Chamber, mortuary temples and smaller pyramids believed to be tombs for Khufu’s wives. (By the way, scholars believe that ancient Arab explorers misnamed the Queen’s Chamber because it was definitely not meant to house a queen. It was probably meant to be a back-up chamber for Khufu instead.) Yet, the mystery of the Great Pyramid is more than just that of the mummies (who Egyptians believed would be protected by the tombs forever while their spirits traveled to the afterlife.) It’s the fact that the Great Pyramid was created with such geometric accuracy that modern architects have only just been able to recreate it. And that’s with the help of laser measuring technology. Perhaps it’s only the Great Sphinx of Giza whose watchful eye over the pyramids holds the answer to this great mystery.
Like in China, New Year’s in Vietnam springs to life on January 23rd. From bamboo and peach blossoms to interesting rules around what you should and should not eat, we’ll take a look at what happens before, during and after the big day.
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In celebration of the year of the dragon, brighten up your classroom with these easy-to-make lanterns. There’s nothing more iconic than the lanterns that light the streets in China during their New Years celebration. The tradition can be traced as far back a 250 B.C. when Buddhist monks carried torches on New Year’s Eve, hoping to spot the Buddha himself. Today, some locals make bamboo frames and cover them with silk, but for your classroom, construction paper should do just fine!
Looks like it’s time for resolutions…
We, at Explorica, resolve to keep bringing you more and more cultural insights, of course. And while some of us are still settling on goals (eat healthier, exercise and read more), another part of the world is just beginning their countdown to the New Year. January 23rd is the big day that starts the year of the dragon for the Chinese and the Tet celebration for the Vietnamese. This week, we’ll take a peek into how these Asian cultures may ring in 2012—from traditional decorations to holiday foods. And while we’re at it, we’ll show you how to join in the festivities and brighten up your classroom by making your own New Year’s paper lanterns.
Chinese New Year
Where the Western world celebrates the New Year overnight, the Chinese take a full 15 days to ring it in with family fun, fireworks and a whole lot of holiday…cleaning. You heard me. Talk about “out with the old”! Once the house is in tiptop shape, families decorate their doors and windows with red paper-cuts (simply, paper with cut-outs to make intricate designs) to welcome all that good luck floating around. Why red? The color symbolizes good fortune and joy. Symbols of good fortune, happiness, wealth and longevity fill the air during the Chinese New Year. They literally hang in the air, as families suspend pairs of poetic lines called couplets around their homes crafted around those ideas.
These themes run so deep that they’re even present in the food. The holiday feast, called reunion dinner, is filled with varieties of chicken, pork and fish. (You might say it’s a gathering for omnivores.) But, no matter how scrumptious the feast or how hungry the diners, the Chinese never finish the prized “lucky fish.” Some of the fish is stored overnight because the phrase, “every year there’s fish leftover” is a homophone for the Chinese phrase that means “have profit every year.”
Closing their 15-day celebration, the Chinese claim to fame is their magical lantern festival. A Buddhist rite established by a Chinese emperor during the Han Dynasty, the grand festival has since expanded into a country-wide celebration. Streets, homes and storefronts fill with silk, paper and even glass lanterns. The night is capped off with beautiful firework displays all over China. If you happen to visit China during the festival, don’t forget to wear your red. It’s believed that the New Years monster, “Nian,” who comes to destroy crops and homes, fears the fiery color.
