In Ruins, Angkor
Alex2026-06-03T08:56:44+00:00The Khmers built imperial sites and magnificent temples as they ruled over much of Southeast Asia. Today, this city of ruins is simply the most beautiful in the world.
Deciphering the Mayan Script
Alex2026-06-03T08:58:49+00:00The ancient Maya were meticulous historians and master storytellers. Artist-scribes wove their tales in an intricate script that took 500 years to decipher.
Mughal Art and Architecture
Alex2024-05-16T04:18:17+00:00A confluence of cultures, the Mughal Empire left monumental architecture and exquisitely-detailed art unique to the subcontinent.
In Ruins, Tikal
Alex2024-04-27T08:48:47+00:00The Mayan civilization was among the most advanced in the ancient world. In Tikal especially, a dynastic rule lasted 2,000 years, the first water filtration system in the Americas was invented, and observers could predict a solar eclipse with the naked eye alone.
In Ruins, Bagan
Alex2025-05-10T19:16:51+00:00This city of 3,000 temples is only a remnant of Myanmar's golden age. But it's still, as Marco Polo described it, "One of the finest sights in the world."
Luis Barragán: Colors and Geometry
Alex2024-03-16T18:27:23+00:00Inspired by Le Corbusier and the gardens of Andalusia, Luis Barragán founded an architectural language for his hometown of Guadalajara.
Diving the Cenotes of Tulum
Alex2024-02-22T00:01:06+00:00Believed to be the entrance to immortality by the ancient Maya, diving these cenotes is unlike any other experience in the world.
Life and Literature, Peru
Alex2024-02-02T18:36:30+00:00For Mario Vargas Llosa, history and literature are inseparable. Spanning over eight decades, his life and writings perfectly capture the changing landscape, people and politics of Peru.
Banned Books Week: The Burning of the Mayan Codex
Alex2024-09-07T00:21:29+00:00The Mayans believed that writing was sacred (as I do). They had one of the most advanced writing systems in the ancient world. Deciphering them was difficult since few books survived the Spanish Inquisition.
Haunted by Hemingway
Alex2024-02-21T21:56:50+00:00"𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵, 𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨." Early one summer morning, Ernest Hemingway took his favorite double-barrel shotgun, bent himself over it, and pulled the trigger.