*I visited Poland in 2016 and saw the Chapel of Skulls, this story is from this time. For a completely off the beaten path look at the more macabre and dark past of Poland, then you should visit the Chapel of Skulls located just outside of the popular spa town of Kudowa Zdroj in LowerContinue reading “Travel: Poland’s Creepy Chapel of Skulls”
Tag Archives: History
Ancient Word of the Day: Uiscebeatha
Uisgebeatha: n Irish Gaelic uisce “water”, and bethu “life” or Water of Life. Another variation is the Scots Gaelic Uisge beatha. Pronounced Ish-ka ba-ha. This was a Gaelic name given by Irish and Scottish monks in the early Middle Ages to describe distilled alcohol. It’s a translation of the Latin aqua vitae ‘water of life‘.Continue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Uiscebeatha”
10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #35
Hello my lovely friends and welcome to another bounty of beatific delights and shimmering wonders taken from the bottom of the internet ocean and brought to the surface for you to enjoy. Let me know what you think of them below… The bewitching bejewelled Lindau Gospels Named after the Abbey of Lindau on Lake ConstanceContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet #35”
Ancient Word of the Day: Love-Drury
Love-Drury: n. A treasured token or keepsake given to a lover or partner. Origin: French. Comes from the French word Drut meaning a friend or lover. Drury made its way to English in the Middle Ages. In the 14th Century, a drury was a sweetheart or beloved person or a treasured object. Vincent Van Gogh’sContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Love-Drury”
Ancient Word of the Day: Serendipitist
Serendipitist: n. A person who benefits from a chance or serendipitous event Serendipity: happenchance or providence. This beautiful term was originally coined by writer Horace Walpole in 1754. Walpole was inspired by the ancient Persian tale The Three Princes of Serendip, about some titular characters who ran around in ancient Persia having some marvellous luckContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Serendipitist”
10 Cool Things I found on the Internet #23
Does your brain need to be plunged into icy-cold water? Consider this weeks picks to be a refreshing and brief dunk into a frozen arctic pool…when you know that a sauna will be waiting for you afterwards. Where the river begins A look at how linguistics, word origins and paleo-climatology are linked. “If you pauseContinue reading “10 Cool Things I found on the Internet #23”
Ancient Word of the Day: Hell Kettle
Hell Kettle: n. A deep abyss or bottomless pool The deep pools in Darlington, Co. Durham in England are a part of fearsome local legend. These mysterious pools are said to have inspired Lewis Carroll’s endless rabbithole, where Alice tumbles into another world – in his classic book Alice in Wonderland. They are known asContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Hell Kettle”
10 Interesting Things I found on the Internet #21
If the internet is making funny sounds and has crapped itself a few times in your house, well then perhaps it’s time for a reboot…. Mountains, Cass, 1936 by New Zealand painter Rita Angus Dead Can Dance- ACT II The Invocation video filmed in Bulgaria Dead Can Dance, one of the most primal and ancientContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I found on the Internet #21”
Ancient Words of the Day: Anglii/Angle/Ankle
One of the oldest English words recorded is Anglii used first in the year 98 AD by Roman historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (ca. 56-120 AD) Anglii i.e “the Angles,” literally “people of Angul” (Old Norse Öngull). Tacitus wrote in 98AD in his book ‘Germania’ about the various Teutonic tribes he came into contact with includingContinue reading “Ancient Words of the Day: Anglii/Angle/Ankle”
Seven suspenseful and unforgettable historical novels
Great historical novels are fully immersed in time, place and have a tangible effect of bringing you into a time period that you may otherwise never know. This is what’s truly exhilerating about the historical novel. The setting and surroundings become like a fully formed character in the novel. Whether we’re talking about a BritishContinue reading “Seven suspenseful and unforgettable historical novels”
Content Catnip 