Jun 8 2016, 3:55 pm ET

Kabul’s Ruined Palace to Get a New Life

After decades of fighting left this European-style palace abandoned in Afghanistan, there are new talks of restoration.

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An Italian artist acclaimed as a founding father of 1960s Arte Povera – the “poor art” movement that only used worthless everyday materials – will be next to colonise the stupendously grand halls of Blenheim Palace.

Michelangel Pistoletto at Blenheim Palace. Photograph: Edd Horder
Michelangelo Pistoletto, whose career was celebrated in recent solo exhibitions at the Serpentine and the Louvre, will be creating new work for Blenheim’s towering double-height great hall, as well as i… (View original article)

The meaning of “mitsuke” as in Akasaka-Mitsuke (as well as Yotsuya-Mitsuke and others) is a fort gate established to guard a castle.

Along such gates are watchtowers to make sure “undesirables” do not get too close, and that’s why the kanji “mi” (watch) is used. So Akasaka, to a person in the Edo Period (1603-1867), might conjure up images of Edo Castle.

The mention of Akasaka to folks in the Showa Era (1926-1989) might make them think of the once popular song “Akasaka no Yo… (View original article)

The French medieval city of Avignon is located in the south-eastern region of Provence on the banks of the River Rhone and is surrounded by 800-year-old ramparts that once protected it.

There is no escaping the mystery of its historic centre and with Ramblers Worldwide Holidays have just launched their new brochure, jam-packed with new holiday ideas for late 2016 and 2017, they have included a new French holiday to the city of Avignon.

With its ancient narrow cobbled st… (View original article)