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Ireland’s most haunted house on sale

Since 2020 can’t really get any worse, you might as well embrace it and take up residence in Ireland’s most haunted house. This 22-bedroom Georgian mansion was allegedly visited by the devil in the late 18th century, and has been the country’s most haunted abode ever since. Now, the 27,000-square-foot Loftus Hall is up for sale.

Photo: Loftus Hall/Facebook

According to legend, in the late 18th century, a dark stranger approached the house on horseback after his ship was forced to dock. The Tottenham family, who owned the mansion, invited him to stay the night. One evening, while Lady Ane Tottenham was playing cards with the stranger in the tapestry room, she noticed he had cloven hooves instead of feet, and upon her noticing, he disappeared through the ceiling in a cloud of smoke. She was so shocked, the story goes, that she died a few years later. Although a priest has since exorcised the building, the devil is still said to haunt it.

Photo: Loftus Hall/Facebook

The current owners, the Quigleys, restored the house and ran ghost tours, but have now put the house, 63 acres of land, and a private beach up for sale for $2.9 million.

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NASA will launch balloon

A giant balloon is set to float above Antarctica in 2023, but it won’t be carrying an intrepid explorer. NASA is planning to send a football field-sized balloon equipped with a state-of-the-art telescope into Earth’s stratosphere to learn more about the formation of stars and planets. The ASTHROS (short for Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at Submillimeter-wavelengths) mission will leave from Antarctica in December 2023 and loop the South Pole from the stratosphere for three weeks.

When inflated, the balloon will be 400 feet wide, and carry a gondola with scientific instruments, such as a far-infrared telescope. The balloon will remain well below the edge of space, hovering at an altitude of 130,000 feet (24.6 miles into the sky, or four times higher than a commercial airplane), but it will provide valuable insights to scientists on the ground, who will be controlling the telescope and downloading data for analysis.

The purpose of the mission is to study how stars and planets form and get a better idea of the evolution of our galaxy.

Jose Siles, the ASTHROS project manager, said, “We will launch ASTHROS to the edge of space from the most remote and harsh part of our planet. If you stop to think about it, it’s really challenging, which makes it so exciting at the same time.”

After two or three loops around the South Pole in the span of three to four weeks, the balloon will be set loose while the gondola and its instruments return to Earth via parachute.

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Dirty Dancing lake full again

One of Dirty Dancing’s most iconic scenes is the one where Patrick Swayze teaches Jennifer Grey to practice a lift in a lake. The lake, part of the Mountain Lake Lodge in Virginia, was made famous by the film but disappeared entirely for 12 years and was completely dry between 2008 and 2012. As of July 2020, the lake has made a resurgence and is filling up again.

Every 400 years, Mountain Lake in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains drains and becomes completely dry, as part of a unique self-cleaning cycle. In the movie, the lake was featured in its full glory as part of the resort where the Houseman family is vacationing. During the film, Grey (Baby Houseman) is taught to dance by Swayze (Johnny Castle) with one of the most memorable scenes taking place in the lake itself.

Since the film’s release in 1987, however, the lake’s water levels have diminished. Seeking to restore the lake, scientists have worked for years to identify and remediate holes in the lakebed, to ultimately introduce a natural process that would reduce leakage. In spring 2020, their efforts proved successful as the lake began to refill.

Jon Cawley, Roanoke College professor, said, “This lake basin is the only one on the planet that goes through this sort of cyclicity and has this sort of plumbing system and sometimes mysteriously disappears to “self-clean.” When the lake drains — when it actually empties out — it cleans itself by moving sediment that has accrued in the bottom of the lake down through that rather complex plumbing system to actually make the lake bigger, deeper, and keep it clean. The Mountain Lake basin is absolutely unique, not only in Appalachia but in the entire world.”

Now Dirty Dancing fans can actually visit the site without severe disappointment, and the Mountain Lake Lodge even offers a Dirty Dancing-themed weekend package with dance lessons and dance parties for those who want to live out their Baby and Johnny fantasies.

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Bermuda travel guide summer 2020

Bermuda was always a dream vacation spot, drawing travelers with its limestone cliffs, clear blue skies, and sandy beaches. But after months being locked inside, it’s a downright fantasy. While the pandemic has drastically altered travel, visitors can still explore the island as long as they comply with the new safety provisions installed by the local authorities. Colorful festivals and large gatherings may be out of the picture right now, but cliff jumping, gliding along pristine waters on a glass-bottom kayak, flying on a hydrobike, and sipping cocktails on private beaches is still very much allowed. Bermuda is eager and waiting to welcome tourists this summer. Here’s everything you need to know about planning your 2020 island getaway.

Before you go and getting there
COVID-19 safety measures on the island
Where to stay
How to enjoy Bermuda’s outdoors while social distancing



Before you go and getting there

Bermuda is taking COVID-19 safety measures very seriously, so be prepared to do some paperwork before pre-departure. The first step for all incoming travelers is to complete a travel authorization process online 48 hours prior to boarding. The form will assess health risks, collect contact information, and provide coverage for COVID-19 testing upon arrival. Each passenger needs to complete the $75 form, regardless of age. Then, up to 72 hours prior to departure, all adults and kids aged 10 and up are required to take a COVID-19 test and present a negative result in order to be allowed on the plane.

At the airport and in-flight, passengers are required to wear face coverings and observe social distancing strictly. Upon arrival, travelers will need to undergo a rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test again at the L.F. Wade International Airport. Before venturing out on the island it is required that all will need to self-isolate at accommodations until results are confirmed. It is suggested that this will take around eight hours or so.

COVID-19 safety measures on the island

Photo: Creative Photo Corner/Shutterstock

Once in the clear, visitors need to continue wearing masks when using shared transport such as ferries, buses, and taxis. Packing a thermometer will come in handy because everyone will be required to report their temperature online twice per day. Additional COVID-19 testing will be enforced on days three, seven, and 14 of visitors’ stays. This can easily be done at one of the pop-up testing centers around the island. The Bermuda authorities have made sure that there isn’t an excessive wait time so that people can obtain those results without needing to budget in extra time that could otherwise be spent in a hammock drinking a cold piña colada. Finally, everyone needs to comply with the nightly curfew between the hours of midnight to 5:00 AM.

Where to stay

Bermuda’s hotels are being extremely cautious when it comes to ensuring guest safety. Only gatherings of 50 or less are allowed and physical distancing needs to be strictly adhered to. Hotels and resorts are opening in stages to make sure that there isn’t an overwhelming amount of tourists on the island after months of lockdown. That said, there are plenty of options to choose from, all unique and offering enough freedom for physical-distancing.

Photo: Coral Beach Club/Facebook

Bermuda’s Coral Beach Club is a collection of nine private cottages dispersed around lush gardens, 26 rooms, and five suites with incredible ocean views of the island’s south shore. If you opt to stay in a cottage, you’ll have your own fireplace, living room, and dining room. The rooms and suites are equally as charming, albeit slightly smaller. The Coral Beach Club offers dozens of activities to keep you entertained on your holiday. You can play squash, spend the day golfing, swim at the resort’s private beach, go snorkeling, play beach tennis, or take a yoga class, all within a safe distance from other guests.

At the Edgehill Manor, you’ll experience the local Bermudian hospitality at its most authentic. This private guest house lies minutes away from the city of Hamilton and combines charm and luxury at an affordable price. Each room at the Edgehill Manor has its private balcony, lots of space, and all guests are granted access to a private swimming pool tucked into a lush tropical garden. Social distancing doesn’t get much better than that.

Photo: Grape Bay Cottages

The two two-bedroom Grape Bay Cottages are ideal if you’re looking to have a private beach all to yourself. Located in the heart of the Paget Parish, the cottages are nestled by the clean and spacious Grape Bay Beach. This is the ideal spot to vacation with family or a small group of friends. Both cottages have their own private kitchens, patios, air conditioning, a BBQ area, and lounge chairs so you feel right at home.

You can find information on which hotels are open and set to reopen soon here.

How to enjoy Bermuda’s outdoors while social distancing

Photo: Bermuda Tourism/Facebook

Cliff jumping, paddle boarding, sailing, hiking, and more — Bermuda has plenty of outdoor adventures to choose from while observing a safe distance from others.

The island and its many lush, secluded trails are ideal for long bike rides. On the beach, hydrobikes — a hybrid between a catamaran and a bicycle — are a superb option to take you along turquoise waters. One of the most romantic outings to go on is a horseback ride along the Railway Trail National Park — an 18-mile path surrounded by crystal-clear waters and vegetation. Alternatively, the trial is great for hiking if you’d like to stretch your legs. You can also go sailing around Hamilton Harbor on the eastern end of Great Sound and soak up the never-ending blue skies.

Photo: Go To Bermuda

Bermuda also offers some serious adrenaline sports. Admiralty House Park, former British naval grounds, have been transformed into an amazing place for solo rock climbing and deepwater diving. Another exciting area that carries the legacy of the British is the underwater caves nearby, carved out 200 years ago by the military. Make sure to talk to locals to get advice before venturing out.

Photo: Go To Bermuda

The pandemic may have thwarted festival plans but Bermuda’s quintessentially gorgeous reefs still remain and are open to travelers. Diving and snorkeling in Bermuda is the best way to see spotted eagle rays up close. One key dive site is The Constellation — an underwater playground where the creator of Jaws got his inspiration for the iconic film. Bermuda’s famous shipwrecks serve as a window to the past and offer great diving opportunities. Some of the most popular sunken ships in Bermuda include the North Carolina (an English sailing ship), Taunton (a Danish cargo steamer), L’Herminie (a French warship), and more. You can also paddle across the island on a glass-bottom kayak that allows you to view local marine life without getting wet.

Photo: Andre Place/Shutterstock

Heading northeast, the former US military and NASA premises of Cooper’s Island have been transformed into a 12-acre wildlife park that is open to the public and teeming with sea birds like heron and kingfishers, which are often seen flying among the cedar trees. Spittal Pond — the largest nature reserve on the island at 59 acres — is another great spot if you want to get a breath of fresh air and view the local birdlife.

The lush Bermuda Arboretum, a 22-acre national park located in the heart of the Devonshire Parish, is perfect for a long stroll. Here, you’ll see acacia and cedar trees, and sprawling meadows and woodlands. The area has designated picnic spots for rest and meditation among nature while socially distancing.

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UK coronavirus vaccine shows promise

There’s more good news in the worldwide race for a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine developed by scientists from Oxford University, in partnership with AstraZeneca, has proven to be safe and produce a strong immune response in early tests. The trial involved 1,077 people, and found that the vaccine produced antibodies and white blood cells that fight the virus, and only caused mild side effects.

In addition to producing neutralizing antibodies, which block infection, the vaccine also boosted T-cells, which help destroy cells that have been overtaken by the virus. According to Dr. Adrian Hill, director of Oxford’s Jenner Institute, the vaccine appeared to produce a similar level of antibodies to those produced in people who have naturally recovered from the virus.

“We are seeing good immune response in almost everybody,” said Hill. “What this vaccine does particularly well is trigger both arms of the immune system.There’s increasing evidence that having a T-cell response as well as antibodies could be very important in controlling COVID-19.”

These early trials are designed to test the vaccine’s safety and whether it produces an immune response. They do not, however, definitively prove that the vaccine will protect against infection. That task falls to the current trial, which involves thousands of participants in the UK, South Africa, and Brazil.

Although there are several vaccines in various stages of development around the world — including in the US where the first COVID-19 vaccine tested on humans showed promising results last week — the Oxford vaccine remains one of the frontrunners, with a target delivery date of winter 2020.

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Traditional German bread

When it comes to countries that belong in the pantheon of all-time-great culinary traditions, Germany cannot be overlooked. Not only are its huge steins of beer legendary, but it also boasts an epic variety of sausages. What Germany is less widely known for is its bread. Often overshadowed by the more glamorous olive oil drizzled Italian focaccia and fluffy French baguettes, German bread is nonetheless arguably the best in the world.

At first it might sound outlandish to compare German bread to the much-lauded French bread, which is what many people consider the epitome of bread perfection. But hear me out, because German bread is really in a class of its own.

According to NPR, there’s been whole grain bread in Germany since the time of the Gauls and Visigoths in the fifth century. It became such a staple of the German diet that when the industrialized production of starchy white bread entered the mainstream in the 19th century, these super processed rolls faced backlash from the German public who wanted their unrefined bread back.

The first and perhaps most important element of German bread is that it’s mostly made from unrefined rye (which is called roggenbrot in German) and spelt. That’s because the farming climate in Berlin is much more hospitable to those grains while wheat, and therefore wheat bread (weißbrot), remained mostly confined to the south of Germany in cities like Munich. Then there are the chewy sweet breads flavored with dried fruits and nuts, called kletzenbrot, hutzelbrot, or früchtebrot. Whole wheat bauernbrot, also called German farmer’s bread, is made with milk.

Rye contains less gluten and therefore requires longer fermentation time. The result is a distinctive sharp, almost sour flavor that some people consider an acquired taste — but it’s beloved in Germany. Rye- and spelt-based breads (the most known of which might be pumpernickel, sometimes known as swattbraut, or black bread, in Germany) also have a coarse, compact, and dense texture — a significant deviation from bread in the rest of Europe.

“Compared to German bread, bread in the UK is very white, fluffy, and pillowy,” says Rachel Preece, a freelance writer who has lived in Munich for a decade. “I love the density of German bread. It’s very wholesome. It’s so filling and flavorsome; you just need a couple slabs to feel pleasantly full — not stuffed, like when you eat white bread.”

In Germany, that processed white bread common in countries like the UK is called toastbrot. It’s available but not as popular as the signature German loaf. There are more options for the discerning bread lover, too. Current counts put the number of distinct varieties of German bread at least 300.

Photo: FooTToo/Shutterstock

“Rather than having the option of whole wheat or white bread, we have huge variety,” explains Lynn Nothegger, a Scottish translator and writer who lives in a town called Würzburg in the northern region of Bavaria.” At my local organic bakery, there are 22 different breads. The Franconian loaves have caraway seeds. There’s rye bread and chia bread, dinkel [sprout] bread, and sunflower bread. And that’s before we even get into the massive range of bread rolls [brötchen] and Franconian croissants, called hörnchen.”

Not only is bread a culinary treasure, but it’s also deeply embedded in nearly every aspect of German culture, from history to entertainment: In 2015, UNESCO awarded German bread “intangible heritage” status. One of the most beloved characters on German children’s television is a depressed loaf of bread named Bernd das Brot. By some counts, there are 27,000 bakeries in Germany — more than there are pharmacies.

Though it’s nearly impossible to walk down a street in Germany and not catch the scent of freshly baked bread wafting from the open door of a bakery, it’s surprisingly difficult to find true German bread in the United States.

While that might be bad news for Americans, that just means more for the German people. According to the Goethe Institut, the average German person eats 87 kilograms (around 190 pounds) of bread rolls every year — compare that to the 55 kilograms (121 pounds) of flûte (a type of baguette) eaten by the average French person annually. Take that France!

Photo: AlexButova/Shutterstock

Today, bread is a centerpiece of mealtimes in Germany. Abendbrot literally means “evening bread,” and it’s the German term for a light dinner of cold sandwiches prepared from a selection of sliced bread, cheese, pickles, and sliced meat set out on the table for the family. In Bavaria, the term brotzeit refers to a snack often enjoyed in the beer garden, consisting of pretzels, brown bread, Vienna sausages, and boiled eggs. It is considered such a necessary element of the German diet that Preece told me she once drove two hours to pick up bread at Julius Brantner — one of the most popular bakeries in Munich.

“In the UK, I’d eat porridge or cereal for breakfast,” Preece says, “but here we regularly have bread, particularly on the weekends, when people take the time to enjoy good quality bread rather than the rushed bowl of muesli during the week.”

Nothegger can also attest to the fact that, in Germany, breakfast is a meal to savor, especially with a group of friends or family with whom you can share the joy of bread.

“The German ritual of going for fresh rolls for breakfast is sacred in our house,” she says. “I set the table for breakfast with charcuterie and cheese, boiled eggs, and jams and marmalade. Our family breakfasts are a time to slow down, sit and chat, and catch up on things we’d missed during the hectic week.”

Whether it’s cradling a spicy currywurst or slathered in layers of creamy, salty butter, bread has become much more than a nourishing snack in the German consciousness. Yes, it’s a point of national pride to have bread so nutritious and diverse in flavor and ingredients. But perhaps more so than in many other European countries, the phrase “breaking bread” is especially apt. A warm, soft loaf of bread might quickly tempt even the most reluctant teens to the kitchen table. It seems to open up the door to conversation and bonding among loved ones, too. In other words, German bread is powerful. Is it the best in the world? Well, you’ll just have to square it up with your favorite French baguette and decide for yourself.

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Mother sauces around the world

French chef Marie-Antoine Carême introduced the concept of mother sauces to the culinary world in the 19th century. Carême codified four sauces that could be used as a foundation for virtually every other classic French sauce: béchamel, velouté, espagnole, and tomat. Shortly after, chef Auguste Escoffier added a fifth, hollandaise, solidifying France’s famed “grandes.”

Neither Carême nor Escoffier invented the idea of foundational ingredients, however. Cuisines all over the world rely on base sauces, stocks, and culinary building blocks to kickstart more complicated sauces, soups, stews, and regional recipes that only require a few additions (these derivatives are called “daughter sauces”). Not all mother sauces play by the French rules, but they are all indispensable to their respective cuisines.

Here are six other “mothers” of the food world, from Mexico to the Middle East.

1. Spain: picada

Simple yet essential to Spanish cuisine, picada is a combination of just three ingredients: almonds or other nuts, crusty bread, and a liquid, which might be stock, vinegar, wine, or water. The trio is ground in a mortar and pestle, often with the addition of garlic or saffron, and fried. In the Catalonia region where it originated, picada’s most famous daughter sauce is romesco, which traditionally incorporates ñora peppers, tomatoes, vinegar, and oil. A common thickening agent, picada is also a base for dishes like ajo blanco, a chilled almond soup.

2. Mexico: mole

Photo: Marcos Castillo/Shutterstock

Mexico’s mother sauce is one of its most celebratory dishes: mole. The word mole, which comes from the Nahuatl word for sauce, can be used to describe any number of thick, chilli-based sauces. Black, red, yellow, and green moles are all common. Oaxaca alone is famous for perfecting seven different recipes, the most popular of which is mole negro.

Both Oaxaca and Puebla claim to have invented mole. Recipes vary, but most modern takes blend a combination of dried pasilla, mulato, ancho, and chipotle chiles with nuts and seeds for thickness, fruit for sweetness, herbs and spices for complexity, and often chocolate for depth.

Mole coloradito adds tomatoes to a chilli-chocolate base and is often served over enchiladas. Mole poblano is favored in Puebla and most commonly served in American restaurants. On special occasions, turkey is slathered in dark mole, while everyday restaurants are more likely to serve mole with chicken. Daughter sauces and central Mexican delicacies aside, you’ll also see mole served plain with tortillas, tamales, or other finger foods to scoop up plain.

3. Lebanon: tarator

Tarator is a Middle Eastern sauce made with lemon juice, garlic, salt, and watered-down tahini, a sesame paste that’s used liberally throughout the region. It can be eaten plain. In Lebanon, it might be served alongside meze bites like falafel or flatbread, or as a dipping sauce for bzeh ma’ tarator (snails in tarator sauce). Tarator is also the basis for regional staples like hummus and baba ganoush, dips thickened with chickpeas and eggplant, respectively.

4. Korea: gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang

Photo: Thanthima Lim/Shutterstock

Gochujang, doenjang, and ganjang are the holy trinity of Korean cuisine. They’re not sauces in the classical French sense: Gochujang and doenjang are fermented soybean pastes while ganjang is a light soy sauce and liquid byproduct of doenjang. Yet this trio is behind Korea’s most recognizable flavors, earning all three the title of Korea’s mother sauces.

Salty, sweet, and mildly spicy, gochujang can be used as a marinade for meat or seafood, a sauce for noodle dishes like bibimguksu, or a condiment. Ganjang is umami-rich and used for seasoning. Doenjang, on the other hand, is the starting block for countless soups, stews, and sauces.

If you’ve eaten Korean barbecue, you’ve likely tried Korea’s mother flavors. The classic Korean barbecue dipping sauce on every table is an easy mix of gojuchang and doenjang that’s delightful with pork belly.

5. Puerto Rico: sofrito

Originally from Spain, sofrito is a cardinal ingredient in a great many cuisines. Variations of the tomato-based sauce have spawned other sauces, stews, and regional preparations across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, as well as Italy and the Philippines.

Puerto Rico’s cuisine is among the most sofrito dependent. There, the sauce begins with a basic blend of pureed aromatics known as recaito: Sweet, lightly spicy aji dulce and green bciell peppers are cooked down in pork fat with garlic, onions, cilantro, and culantro. An olive-caper condiment called alcaparrado is commonly added, as well.

Sofrito generally throws tomatoes into the mix, turning green recaito into a proper red sauce. This sauce can then be modified to suit various rice dishes, including arroz con gandules.

6. Various: yogurt sauce

Photo: Liliya Kandrashevich/Shutterstock

In 2016, chef and Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat author Samin Nosrat named yogurt sauce the first of five “new mother sauces” in an article she wrote for The New York Times. Yogurt that’s been thinned with olive oil and some kind of acid is the backbone of sauces that are beloved around the world. Nosrat references Indian raita and its cousin, Persian cucumber yogurt, as two examples.

Tzatziki may be the best-known relative of these yogurt-cucumber sauces. In Greece, it’s rounded out with lemon juice or wine vinegar, dill, and garlic. A similar sauce called cacik is eaten like soup in neighboring Turkey, where another yogurt-based dish called haydari is prepared as a meze dip, minus the cucumbers.

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Stolen artifacts still in museums

As attitudes continue to change and countries begin to take responsibility for their colonial pasts, more and more victims of colonization are beginning to demand the return of their cultural heritage in the form of art and artifacts.

In Western Europe, France, under the auspices of President Emmanuel Macron, has been at the forefront of this movement for nearly two years, beginning when Macron commissioned a report detailing possible repatriation opportunities from France’s public collection of art that could be returned to Africa. During a visit in Burkina Faso in 2018, Macron said, “I cannot accept that a large part of cultural heritage from several African countries is in France. There are historical explanations for that, but there are no valid justifications that are durable and unconditional. African heritage can’t just be in European private collections and museums.” Though keen observers will note that exactly zero items have been returned from France to Africa since Macron gave this impassioned speech, he also said that these efforts would be implemented over the next five years, giving him a deadline of 2023.

Since Macron’s statement, other nations and collectors have begun more critically analyzing their own cultural holdings to see if they stand up to our contemporary understanding of ethical ownership. Though there have been some excellent recent strides and some uplifting examples of the willing repatriation of artifacts, there remain thousands of works that are still illegally or unethically held, and some of them are far more notable than you may think. Here are nine famous examples of pillaged artifacts that are still displayed in museums in imperialist countries to this day.

1. The Rosetta Stone

Photo: Jaroslav Moravcik/Shutterstock

A granodiorite stele that dates to 196 BCE, the Rosetta Stone may be the single most influential Egyptological discovery in history. Carved with a dynastical decree in 196 BCE in Memphis, Egypt, it bears the inscription of the same message in three scripts: Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Demotic scripts, and lastly ancient Greek. While today it seems commonplace to translate hieroglyphics, in 1799 when it was discovered, hieroglyphics remained yet undecipherable.

Found by a Napoleonic expedition near Rashid, then Rosetta, Egypt, the find was an instant sensation in Europe where Egyptomania had gripped the population. The notion that it could be used like a key to decrypt ancient Egyptian scripts began to be reported immediately after its discovery, though that process actually took 25 years to gain good proficiency.

Two years later, in 1801, British troops arrived in Egypt, eventually overtaking the French regime. Among the spoils was the Rosetta Stone, and though the French presented lengthy arguments as to why it should remain the property of France — one scholar, Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, even declaring he preferred the cache of stolen Egyptian artifacts to be burned rather than hand them over to the British — the stone became the property of Great Britain and remains so to this day. It resides in the British Museum from which Egypt has not yet successfully secured its return.

2. The Man-Eaters of Tsavo

Photo: Field Museum

Between March and December 1898, a single pair of maneless, male lions began attacking and devouring members of a crew constructing a railroad bridge across the Tsavo river in what is now Kenya. Though the number of victims varies greatly depending on which account you follow, the man-eaters killed somewhere between 28 and 140 people in less than a year, many of them Indian laborers that the British had conscripted to work on the project.

As the attacks continued, workers began fleeing the construction site, refusing to work until the lions were either successfully relocated or killed. Eventually, John Henry Patterson, the head engineer of the project, mounted an attack himself and shot both lions to death, about 20 days apart from each other in an organized effort to hunt them down.

Nicknamed Ghost and Darkness by Patterson himself, they spent the next 25 years as his personal floor rugs before eventually being sold to the Field Museum in Chicago, IL, for $5000. The skins arrived in Chicago very damaged but were carefully restored and expertly taxidermied to be displayed to the public, as they remain today. Kenya still maintains that the pair are a part of the cultural history of their country and deserve to be returned.

3. Magdala Ethiopian Treasures

Photo: Victoria and Albert Museum

After the battle of Magdala in 1868, the victorious British stole thousands of priceless items important to the Ethiopian Empire from the city of Magdala and the Ethiopian Christian Church of Medhane Alem. So much was stolen that it took 15 elephants and hundreds of mules to transport the goods to a nearby town for auction, where among the attendees was Richard Holmes who, under the auspices of the British Museum, purchased hundreds of manuscripts, an intricately woven royal wedding gown, and the much-coveted Crown of Abud — a gold crown that once sat atop the head of the leader of the Ethiopian Church.

Though a thorough catalog of the items stolen is not available, many artifacts from this haul have maintained their provenance since, and Ethiopia — which has ceded territory but was never colonized by Europeans — has requested their return.

Unfortunately, the Victoria and Albert Museum, which arguably holds the most prized pieces of the haul, has not been entirely transparent in its talks with the Ethiopian ambassador to the UK about returning the items.

While Tristram Hunt, the director of the V&A, agreed to return several items, the offer contained the duplicitous caveat that the return actually be characterized as a loan and that the Ethiopian government would have to formally withdraw legal claim to the items to proceed. Because of the nature of this proposed scenario, Ethiopia declined, and the items can still be seen in London, where they are displayed “with euphemistic labels and avoid critical accounts of the manner in which they were seized,” as Geoffrey Robertson described it for CNN.

4. The Elgin Marbles

Photo: Giannis Papanikos/Shutterstock

So named after Thomas Bruce, seventh Earl of Elgin, these marble friezes are more appropriately named the Parthenon Marbles after the site they were pillaged from in Greece. It is largely considered so elemental to the cultural history of the world that they are reunited with their original installation site that their repatriation has even garnered the attention of UNESCO, which was unfortunately unable to broker a mediation between the United Kingdom and Greece.

Though told many times that it would be unlawful to take these portions of the Acropolis, Elgin ignored these warnings and methodically removed nearly half of the site’s existing marble friezes over the course of approximately 11 years, the project being completed in 1812. They were then shipped by sea to Scotland where they decorated the walls of his private home. Only a very costly divorce would encourage Elgin to sell them, which he did, to the British Government for less than the cost he incurred personally to procure them. He was so set on keeping them within the UK that he turned down many higher offers, even one he reportedly received from Napoleon himself.

The Parthenon Marbles are currently the property of the British Museum. But as Greek European MEP Rodi Kratssta noted in talks over the fate of the friezes, “They symbolise the very foundation of Greek and European culture, one which is of universal significance. The dismembered sculptures offend our common European heritage and its perception worldwide.”

5. The Bust of Nefertiti

Photo: Vladimir Wrangel/Shutterstock

Arguably the most recognized bust in all of antiquity, the Bust of Nefertiti, originally crafted by Egypt’s Thutmose in the 14th century, was unearthed by the German Oriental Company in 1912. It was taken from Amara to Berlin where it was presented to the benefactor of the expedition, James Simon. Though he lent the bust to the Berlin Museum in 1913, Simon implored them not to display it and to keep its existence a secret. It was not displayed publicly for 11 years, during which time Simon repeatedly begged the museum to maintain its secrecy surrounding the bust, likely fueled by his own knowledge of the duplicitous nature of its procurement.

Though it has moved between many German museums in the years since, it is currently housed by the Neues Museum in Berlin, though Egypt has been asking for it to be returned since its public debut in 1924. Former director of Egyptology Zahi Hawass asked for the bust to be returned in 2008 to coincide with the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. Despite the many hurdles in its construction and the COVID-19 pandemic, the museum is finally scheduled to open in 2021, though the Neues Museum has yet declined to return the iconic object.

6. Zimbabwe Bird

Photo: agap/Shutterstock

In southeast Zimbabwe near the city of Masvingo lie the ruins of the palatial complex of former King Munhumutapa and the larger complex of Great Zimbabwe, a UNESCO heritage site. Well over a hundred years ago, eight nearly identical carved soapstone birds flanked its front entrance, though they were all eventually stolen by colonizers and secreted out of the country. Six of them ended up in South Africa, one of which was owned by Cecil Rhodes himself, the ruthless imperialist who founded the colonial nation of Rhodesia. Today the birds hold such strong cultural significance to the now-independent nation of Zimbabwe that they appear on currency and even the national flag.

Today, nearly all of the soapstone sculptures have been returned, even five from the nation of South Africa. Ironically, this is also the country wherein the last missing bird remains. In Cape Town, in Rhodes’ former estate, now a museum known as Groote Schuur, the bird still sits in the colonizers’ former bedroom. During his lifetime, Rhodes was so brazen in his ownership of the item that he replicated it into other design elements at the estate, like the carvings in the wainscoting and adornments on the banisters. Upon his death, he willed his estate to the South African government, which owns his former house — and thus the Zimbabwe Bird — to this day, and has yet to return it despite an international grassroots effort to facilitate exactly that.

7. The Benin Bronzes

Photo: The Met

Stolen by British forces from the Kingdom of Benin in what is modern-day Nigeria, the Benin Bronzes are a collection of (mostly brass) plaques made between the 13th and 18th centuries. Though it was thought during British colonization that the Beninese must have learned such advanced metallurgy from Portuguese traders, later studies proved that the techniques used in their creation were wholly local.

After their theft in 1897, and though roughly half of them became the property of the British Museum, many were purchased by museums in Germany, Austria, and the United States. Some even ended up in private collections; renowned Spanish painter Pablo Picasso supposedly even owned one.

Nigeria has asked repeatedly for the specimens currently housed in the British Museum to be returned ahead of the opening of their new national museum in Lagos. Currently set to open in 2021, it will include state of the art facilities for housing and preserving art and artifacts, and would pose only benefits to the preservation of these works.

Though they were clearly and admittedly stolen by Great Britain in several then-sanctioned acts of looting, acts that would today defy international law regulating such property, the British Museum has remained wholly unrepentant in their ownership of about 700 of the bronzes. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York also owns 163 of them but has been slightly more open to discussing their return, though none have yet exchanged hands.

8. Priam’s Treasure

Photo: Pushkin Museum

Possibly because of the precedent set by the archeologist responsible for the treasure’s original rediscovery in 1873, the history, provenance, and authenticity of the treasure have been under constant scrutiny and dispute, and much of the research surrounding it seems riddled with errors and an overall aura of duplicitousness.

These artifacts were somewhat ham-fistedly excavated from an only tenuously legal archeological site in Northern Turkey by Heinrich Schliemann who, among other errors that he made, thought they could be attributed to Homeric Troy, though they are now known to be from an era at least a few hundred years earlier. Nevertheless, the items from the excavation are numerous and spectacular and include thousands of pieces of solid gold jewelry.

The treasure’s journey to where they now reside at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow began with Schliemann smuggling the goods out of Anatolia, though it’s unclear exactly how he accomplished this feat. The items made their way to Berlin where, while housed at the national museum, they became subject to possible theft at the end of World War II. Supposedly, this is why Wilhelm Unverzagt surrendered the items to the Soviet Arts Committee: as an attempt to prevent them from being damaged or divided.

They were flown to Moscow from Berlin where they remain today, though Turkey has maintained that they expect the items to be returned. Conveniently, Russia created its own national law which details the theft of the treasure as legitimate, which they cite whenever asked about the treasure’s return.

9. The Koh-i-Noor Diamond

Photo: Tower of London

Of all the items on this list, the Koh-i-Noor Diamond seems to be the only object replete with a curse. Fabled to bring bad luck upon any man who wears it, it has only been worn by female members of the British royal family since it was ceded to Queen Victoria when Great Britain annexed the Punjab in 1849. It was likely originally mined in the Kollur Mine in India, and though there is no record of its original weight, it currently has 66 facets and measures 105.6 carats after being recut in 1952. The stone adorns the front of the front of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Crown.

Though Great Britain claims to have come upon it legally — though admittedly after their imperial takeover, thus creating the British Raj — its provenance has always been curiously disputed with no less than four countries currently claiming a right to the jewel. In 2000, even the Taliban sought ownership of it when their foreign affairs spokesman Faiz Ahmed Faiz claimed, “The history of the diamond shows it was taken from us to India, and from there to Britain.”

But despite these numerous claims to the contrary, the British government remains unswayed that their ownership of the gem is legitimate, and they have refused to even consider its removal from the crown jewels, a collection with which it sits today in the Tower of London, on display to the public.

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The perfect one-day adventure in Acadia National Park

MANY OF OUR nation’s national parks are composed of vast wildernesses filled with massive glaciers, towering peaks, and wild rivers — and few roads — that require multiple days of exploration even to scratch the surface. Fortunately for those on a time crunch, Acadia isn’t one of those parks.

Instead, much of Acadia’s craggy coastline and glacier-carved summits can be easily reached by car or with a short hike. What’s more, a critical part of the experience is simply immersing yourself in the culture of Downeast Maine, exploring the small fishing villages and harbors around the park. While multiple days would allow you to explore some of the lesser-traveled sections of the park, there is quite a bit you can accomplish in one day. Here’s what to do.

Photo: Cheri Alguire/Shutterstock

Hike the Precipice Trail first-thing

If you have to choose only one hike in the park, the Precipice Trail should be it — as long as heights and technical terrain don’t deter you. The Precipice Trail utilizes metal rungs and railings fixed into granite to ascend the east-facing cliffside of Champlain Mountain, affording hikers spectacular views of the Mount Desert Narrows and surrounding landscape. To avoid the crowds and make the most of your day, consider getting there as early as possible; if you’re hiking by or shortly after sunrise, you’ll be in good shape and will likely have the trail to yourself.

The trailhead is about two miles from the Sieur de Monts park entrance on Park Loop Road. Before heading out, check the park’s website for closures, as this part of the cliff is often closed between mid-May and mid-August for peregrine falcon nesting. An alternate hike that offers similar exposure — but is slightly shorter — is the Beehive Trail, which can be accessed at the Bowl Trailhead near Sand Beach. To avoid the cliffs altogether, consider hiking the Bowl Trail to the summit of the Beehive or the South Ridge Trail to the summit of Champlain Mountain.

For a hike without the technical aspect, try North and South Bubble, each offering panoramic views without much need to break a sweat. Both are combined into a 1.5-mile roundtrip free of the Precipice Trail’s metal rungs and potential for vertigo.

Photo: kurdistan/Shutterstock

Get brunch at Cafe This Way

No matter which trail you choose, chances are you’ll work up an appetite during the hike. Continue along Park Loop Road until you hit Otter Cliff Road, which will connect you back to Route 3 and Bar Harbor. Located right in town, Cafe This Way is a great spot to re-energize for the remainder of the day with some brunch classics (think tasty breakfast burritos or French toast) and a cup of coffee. Of course, if you’d like to save time and avoid exiting and re-entering the park, you can pack your own lunch. But the detour is well worth it, and you’ve paid your admission fee already — no need worry about being charged again to re-enter the park.

Drive Park Loop Road

Park Loop Road circumnavigates much of the central section of the park, just outside of Bar Harbor, before cutting straight up through the middle back towards town. The drive alone offers many opportunities to pull off to take in the coastal views and stroll along the coastal cliffs. Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Point are three stops to look out for, but keep in mind they can get very crowded during peak season.

Photo: Cheri Alguire/Shutterstock

Stop for popovers and tea at the Jordan Pond House

Shortly after Park Loop Road leaves the coast and begins its journey north, it passes the Jordan Pond House, an Acadia staple. This historic farmhouse overlooks Jordan Pond and North and South Bubble Mountain and has been offering popovers and tea for well over a century. Stroll the trails around the pond, or simply enjoy the views from the outdoor patio while having a snack. Popovers are an iconic New England pastry treat made of a buttery pudding, a direct tribute to what you’d find across the pond in Yorkshire.

If you skipped breakfast at Cafe This Way and something more substantial is in order, try Geddy’s in Bar Harbor. Equally as “iconic New England” as the Jordan Pond House, here you’ll find the freshest of fresh seafood — including Maine lobster that you hand-pick from the tank — to enjoy with a cold beer.

Photo: Doug Lemke/Shutterstock

Drive to the summit of Cadillac Mountain

The access road leading to the summit of Cadillac Mountain is located just before the exit back toward Bar Harbor. If time allows, a quick drive up the meandering road to the tallest point on Mount Desert Island is a great way to cap off your time in the park. Or visit the Schoodic District, the only part of the park located on the mainland. The one-way loop road can be done in an hour or so, including pull-offs to explore the deep-forested peninsula.

Afterward, simply strolling the streets and watching the ships bob off the coast of Bar Harbor is a relaxing way to spend the evening. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from and shops and galleries to check out. The Looking Glass keeps the views going and is a great family option, and dinner reservations at Havana will bring a romantic flair to the evening after a whirlwind day in the park.

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US cruise ban extended to Sept

If you were holding out hope for a late summer cruise, you’ll have to wait a bit longer. On July 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it will extend its No Sail Order and Suspension of Further Embarkation through September 30 to ensure cruise ships do not begin operating again prematurely.

The cruise ban was first announced by the CDC back in March, applying to vessels with a capacity of over 250 people. Smaller vessels, including river cruises within the US, will be allowed to resume as soon as August. This is the second extension of the ban, which was originally set to expire on July 24.

In a statement, the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) said, “We look forward to timely and productive dialogue with the CDC to determine measures that will be appropriate for ocean-going cruise operations to resume in the United States when the time is right.”

When cruises do resume, the CLIA promises that new safety measures will be in effect. These include pre-boarding health screenings, deep cleaning operations, virus prevention training for crew, reduced passenger capacity, and more. United States ports have also implemented new safety precautions.

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