Subsequent to the first export of Kuwaiti oil in 1946, Kuwait immediately began to modernize its infrastructure. At the time, water was supplied to residents by tank trucks, which rapidly became ineffective due to the fast-growing population and development. In order to tackle the issue of water distribution and storage, in 1965 the Ministry of […]
Art and Design
Catfish and Earthquakes
Take a stroll around the Yaesu exit (八重洲口) of Tokyo train station along Sotobori St (外堀通り), and you might notice a seemingly bizarre graphic on one of the road signs: Looks like a chuffed catfish, right? Well, if you’ve traveled a bit around Japan, you might have mistaken the image for one of the myriad yurukyara (ゆるキャラ), or […]
Architectural Spotlight: Cinema Rossiya in Yerevan, Armenia
Discovering what I would consider to be unusual examples of architecture is a major plot point in how I create itineraries. Whether it’s random geodesic domes and Ferris wheels, religious structures that can’t make up their minds, or tackily-colored eyesores, I have made many a pilgrimage to these types of (subjectively?) zany attractions. To wit, […]
Guangzhou Circle: Modern Chinese Architecture
I wax nostalgic for taking long walks around Chinese cities, appreciating their overzealous appreciation of geodesic domes, bumper car facilities, and some of the most bizarre ideas ever constructed. Today’s specimen: the 138-meter (just under 453 feet) Guangzhou Circle (广州园大厦), located in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. Completed in December 2013 by Milan, Italy-based architect Joseph di […]
Temple of All Religions (Kazan, Russia)
It all started in 1994. The Temple of All Religions — or Center of Tolerance as some call it today — was created by a Russian philanthropist by the name of Ildar Khanov. Khanov, a social worker of sorts, said that he had seen an image of Jesus Christ instructing him to build a structure […]
The Smallest Park in the World
Portland, the largest city in Oregon, is home to a number of attractions. It’s the “City of Roses,” so you’ve got the International Rose Test Garden. Donuts and craft breweries are popular, as is the Japanese Garden. And for a bit of U.S. trivia, did you know that Portland houses the second-largest copper statue in […]
Language Lunes: Bali, Indonesia’s Saput Poleng
Every Monday at No Work All Travel, I intend to write about something that many of us have passed by while touring around, yet might not fully appreciate the significance. It might be a bizarrely named dish on a menu, an unusual street name, or a statue or sign with profound local impact written in […]
Argentina and the Fifty Peso Note
Time to create a word: inflatuation. Meaning? (Tourist with a) fondness for countries suffering from superlatively high inflation. Venezuela might be the reigning regional champ, but this issue isn’t new to Argentina either. While your country is grappling with excessive inflation, you might as well instruct your state bank to try to instill some nationalist […]
