Jewish life in the Americas stretches back to the very beginnings of European colonization, though often in hidden form. In the late 15th and 16th centuries, following the expulsions from Spain (1492) and Portugal (1497), some Sephardic Jews and conversos (Jews who had converted to Christianity, often under pressure) arrived in the New World with Spanish and Portuguese expeditions. Because open Jewish practice was forbidden under the Inquisition, these early communities remained lar
venezuela (3)
Touristically speaking, South America´s sixth largest country should be a star, thanks to its considerable offerings in ecotourism, adventure, beaches, and culture. Instead, it ranks below not just neighbors like Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and especially Brazil, but even the likes of Paraguay. But even before the fateful rise of Hugo Chávez and his “Bolivarian”/Chavista movement to power in 1999, tourism to Venezuela was almost an afterthough – fairly marginal in an economy which relied overwhelm
All across the world, all sorts of holiday activities– both religious and secular, age-old and relatively new – are in full swing during this season, including festive lights, special street markets, trees, Santa and elves everywhere, and the rest of it. But a handful of places feature oddities which range from whimsical to scary to occasionally potentially offensive. Here´s a particularly memorable top ten:
Austria & Germany: Demonic Doings
December 5 is celebrated as St. Nicho
