United Kingdom
The Little-Known History of How the Modern Olympics Got Their Start
As London gets set to host the XXXth Olympiad, acclaimed sportswriter Frank Deford connects the modern Games to their unlikely origin—in rural England
July 2012 |
By Frank Deford
An Opera for an English Olympic Hero
Lal White was forgotten by many, even residents of his small English factory town, but the whimsical Cycle Song hopes to change that
July 2012 |
By Franz Lidz
The Long and Winding History of the Thames
Float down England's longest river, from its origin in the Cotswolds to its ramble through London, a journey through centuries of "liquid history"
July 2012 |
By Joshua Hammer
300 Years of Rowing on the Thames
There must be something in the water at Eton, where rowing rules as the sport of choice
July 2012 |
By Joshua Hammer
That Pixellated Uniform Pattern Was So Bad, The Army Trashed $5 Billion Worth
The army spent $5 billion on those new-fangled pixelated camouflage uniforms that peppered Iraq and Afghanistan, only to find out that they do not work at all, The Daily reports: “Essentially, the Army designed a universal uniform that universally failed in every environment,” said an Army specialist who served two tours in Iraq, wearing UCP [...]
June 26, 2012 |
By Sarah Laskow
The Real Scottish Landscapes That Inspired Pixar’s “Brave”
Disney/Pixar's "Brave" is based on real places in Scotland. Now, "Brave"-centric vacations lets families experience the adventure first hand.
June 26, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
How to Make a Sweet Ride From Only Wood and Glue
This takes DIY to another level: a bike created solely from wood and glue. Michael Thompson, the craftsman behind the feat, and James Tully, his triathlete pal who demos the contraption, are the guys behind the bike. Thompson has so far made three bikes sans nuts, bolts or screws in his Norfolk, England, studio. Here, [...]
June 21, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Going Mad for Charles Dickens
Two centuries after his birth, the novelist is still wildly popular, as a theme park, a new movie and countless festivals attest
February 2012 |
By Joshua Hammer
Evolution World Tour: Jurassic Coast, England
The best opportunity to play paleontologist is on the southern coast of England, a site rich with marine reptile fossils
January 2012 |
By Sarah Zielinski
The Serenity of the Outer Hebrides
Breathtaking views and millennia of history charm guests of these islands off the coast of Scotland
July 28, 2011 |
By Lyn Garrity
How Charles Dickens Saw London
Sketches by Boz, the volume of newspaper columns that became Dickens’ first book, invokes a colorful view of 19th-century England
June 06, 2011 |
By Rebecca Dalzell
Where Agatha Christie Dreamed Up Murder
The birthplace of Poirot and Marple welcomes visitors looking for clues to the best-selling novelist of all time
June 2011 |
By Joshua Hammer
The Picturesque Torquay, England
The seaside town beckons vacationers and Agatha Christie pilgrims alike
June 2011 |
By Joshua Hammer
A Viking Mystery
Beneath Oxford University, archaeologists have uncovered a medieval city that altered the course of English history
October 2010 |
By David Keys
U.K. Applicants Vie for Outdated Brontosaurus
The National Showcaves Center in Wales has put its "Brontosaurus" (the outdated name for an Apatosaurus) up for grabs, but who will go home with it is still up in the air.Late last month the park announced that its collection of life-size dinosaurs was becoming a bit crowded, and so the drab saurop...
June 04, 2010 |
By Brian Switek
Rick Steves' Europe: Blackpool, England
Home to a giant amusement park, a vintage trolley and an old-time variety show, Blackpool is northwest England's glittering beach city
May 2010 |
By Rick Steves
Rick Steves' Europe: Cotswold Villages, England
The storybook countryside of hedgerows, grazing sheep, thatched-roof cottages and stately homes harks back to the days of the medieval wool trade
May 01, 2010 |
By Rick Steves
Sherlock Holmes' London
As the detective stalks movie theaters, our reporter tracks down the favorite haunts of Arthur Conan Doyle and his famous sleuth
January 2010 |
By Joshua Hammer
The Glorious History of Handel's Messiah
A musical rite of the holiday season, the Baroque-era oratorio still awes listeners 250 years after the composer's death
December 2009 |
By Jonathan Kandell
Trekking Hadrian's Wall
A hike through Britain's second-century Roman past leads to spectacular views, idyllic villages and local brews
October 2009 |
By Andrew Curry
