england
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Eden Project, UK – The Eighth Wonder of the World
There are some things that humans have made in the name of science that are just amazing. One example is Biosphere 2 for climate change and space research in Arizona. Another is the Eden Project in Cornwall, England. History The Eden Project arose out of an idea from 1996. At a site in St Blazey,…
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Tintinhull Gardens, England – Weekend Paradise
Set amongst the rolling farmland of Somerset, TIntinhull is a house/gardens combination; it sits in the tiny village of the same name. To visit the house you have to rent it from the National Trust and stay there for at least 3 days. As a result it is not open to the general public. The…
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Brean Down, England – Down to the Sea
On the Somerset coast just outside Weston-Super-Mare is a small holiday village: Brean. Apart from the beach and holiday homes, there really isn’t much there. There is just one exception: Brean Down. History Brean Down formed about 60,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age in southern England. Glaciers retreated across the…
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Lytes Cary, England – A bite-size manor in Somerset
In the backcountry roads in Somerset on a single-track line lined with hedges on both sides winding through farmland lies a couple of houses. Collectively these houses are “Lytes Cary”. It is easy to miss due to the hedges but if you notice the low stone walls on either side of an unassuming (with the…
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Peak District, England – The land of inspiration
The Peak District in England is a national park that draws an estimated 20 million people every year. They hike around the rural areas, including farmland, moorland, hills and the peaks themselves. History Historically this area has been very important to England and the UK as a whole. Settlements of the area have been dated…
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Glastonbury Abbey, England – Walking the ruins
Nestled in the sleepy, mystic town of Glastonbury in Somerset are the ruins of what was once one of the most powerful institutions to have existed in the UK. I am of course referring to the famous Glastonbury Abbey. History Foundation The history of the Abbey goes back to the 7th century. The king of…
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Sant Jordi/Saint George’s Day Comparison
As many people who were in a country that has St George as a patron saint will know, yesterday (23 April) was St George’s Day. What fewer people know is that St. George is also considered the patron saint of Catalonia, a region in Spain. As some of you may know, I am not teaching…
