The Maya are renowned for many achievements, but arguably their most enduring legacy is the remains of their architectural feats. Most folks associate Maya architecture with temples and pyramids, but ballcourts, astronomical observatories and elite residential palaces are often just as impressive. When we throw around the term Maya architecture, [……]

In September, archeologists wrapped up conservation efforts at the massive Ichkabal ruins near Tulum and opened the ancient Mayan site to the public.   Surrounded by lush rainforests and dense vegetation, Ichkabal is a both a magnificent historical gem as well as a beautiful eco-hotspot, with hundreds of animal and plant species populating [……]

The Weekly Quiz From NPR Puzzlemaster Will Shortz https://www.npr.org/2021/11/28/1059517658/sunday-puzzle-br-ing-it-on On-air challenge: Every answer today is a word, name, or phrase in which the only consonants are B and R, repeated as often as necessary. All the other letters are vowels.                      [……]

Test yourself on the international settings of these novels:    1 of 5  Orhan Pamuk’s 2009 novel The Museum of Innocence, takes place in the 1970s and 1980s and is about a wealthy man’s intense romantic love for a young woman who works in a shop. The book is set [……]