The historical documents that are preserved at the National Library of France in Paris include the Sun King’s collected bibles as well as popular advertising leaflets. The reading room beneath the ancient dome was recently modernized, but reverential silence still reigns.
In August, colorful circles adorn the roofs of Huangling village, China. They are, in fact, the baskets in which the farmers dry their crops: mainly orange kakis, bright-red chillies, and yellow chrysanthemums and corn kernels.
The journey is the reward: With a veritable mass migration once again gushing along Saint James’ Way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, we suggest some more tranquil trails for pilgrims and hikers.
St. Olav’s Way is the Norwegian version of Spain’s Saint James’ Way: Pilgrims make the journey from Oslo to Saint Olav’s burial place, a church in Trondheim. Farms provide simple accommodation all along the 640-kilometer trail.
A visit to Japan is too expensive? That’s true if you stay in a hotel. But the cheaper and more authentic alternative is to walk the 1700-kilometer Tokai Trail from Tokyo to Osaka – and pitch your tent in the evening.
You’ll need plenty of time to walk the Great Trail, the world’s longest at 24 000 kilometers, which crosses Canada, connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts. The final gaps in the trail were closed last year.
Culture clash
Peace pipes, feather headdresses and war paint are still regarded as typically Native American to this day. To see how the indigenous peoples of the United States really live, visit their summer festivals.
Ethnic Extravaganza
The Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, New Mexico, welcomes members of all tribes from August 3-12. Contests, dances and traditional handicrafts are the main attractions.
Crow centenary
With 1500 tents, Crow Agency, Montana, becomes a teepee city from August 15-20. The Absarokee, as the Crow call themselves, will be staging their cultural festival for the 100th time this year with ceremonies, music and show fights.
National holiday
The Navajo Nation governs an autonomous area the size of Bavaria, Germany. The capital, Window Rock in Arizona, is hosting the Navajo.
Childhood dreams come true on Daecheon Beach in South Korea July 13-22, when people will be flinging themselves headlong into mineral-rich mud and massaging it into their skin.