Vide Note in an after part of the volume

Probity inclining in such case, as it might be conjectured, to the aspect of the overseas grower.

I merely counsel this as one of many expedients that could be resorted to, for embarrassing the British cupboard, and getting ready the way in which for a rupture. Ingenious diplomatists won’t ever be at a loss for ample matter of disagreement, when disagreement is discovered to be handy.

The London capitalists, then completely conscious that the prosperity of the nation has at size utterly handed the culminating level, mil not obtain with their lengthy wonted complacency, the propositions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer; for the barometer of the Metropolis in these issues distinctly consists within the supposed obtainable sources of the federal government. The ministers will, subsequently have considerable purpose to temporize, nonetheless grating it might be to their emotions. The haughty and unceremonious communications often made to them from the courtroom of the autocrat will, subsequently, be listened to with a suppressed—a smothered resentment.

Within the meantime, the urgent conduct of the Russian envoy will get wind. A few of our manly and decided champions of the agricultural pursuits, justly alarmed for the results, and sensibly alive to the speculation of rents—will go right down to the “Home,”—threaten the stoletov bulgaria tours Authorities, and vituperate the Emperor. Different nation gents, warmed probably into eloquence by the peculiar nature of the topic, will loudly chime in with and help the daring admonitions and profound maims of their distinguished leaders.

Faithfully reported

His Imperial Majesty may have each phrase faithfully reported to him and can undoubtedly add this to of his grievances, making it the extra fast groundwork of a rupture, preluded by a criticism, in excessive phrases, of the insults thus handed upon a devoted pal and ally by the turbulent meeting of the English Commons.

Then will there be discovered amongst us those that will dilate on the advantages, beneath all circumstances, of tranquility; on the Utopian absurdity of the consultant system; on the unfitness of widespread governments; the illusiveness of that out of date chimera of political visionaries the “stability of energy.”

Nonetheless, nonetheless, it might be assuaging to confess that, although diminished in exercise, the looms, the anvils, and varied scientific aids of business may have solely partially discontinued their helpful labors. Our residence consumption alone will as but protect to them a substantial exercise. The industrious and confirmed habits of a business folks, often lengthy stay to mitigate the decline of their nationwide integrity and power. The diminution might be gradual, not violent.

Ultimately, certainly, the arm of the British artisan might chill out its vigor, if, with despair, he discovers that an arbitrary subtraction from his hardly earned positive factors goes to the tributary sustenance, or forbearance, of a overseas military or for the replenishment of a overseas coffer, leaving him however a scanty and inadequate surplus for his particular person upkeep, or for that of his necessitous household.

 

Section of Constantinople

So, as my spouse and I are each human, as we’re nonetheless younger and want on occasion some sort of mundane distraction, we have now needed to frequent if not extensively no less than reasonably  this part of Constantinople. One glimpse of an evening in Pera had been ample to make us understand the need of discovering different playgrounds. We needed to break, on occasion, from the quiet, peaceable and elevating lifetime of Stamboul if it had been solely to make us respect extra our regular dwelling life.

Shortly after we had settled in our home a cousin of mine who lives in Shishli gave a day tea to introduce us to his set. He’s a distinguished enterprise man of Constantinople, and each his personal place in addition to the prominence of his household have positioned him and his charming spouse among the many leaders of the Turkish social set of Shishli. They’ve a beautiful home on one of many precept avenues and entertain continuously. His spouse, like all of the Turkish women of her set, has a weekly “at dwelling.”

On as of late one is bound to seek out a big crowd of callers in her salons. She is a wonderfully charming girl, very younger and exquisite. Her magnificence is usually Turkish, tall and slender though not emaciated, languid black eyes with lengthy eyelashes. She clothes exquisitely as she buys most of her frocks in Paris the place she goes periodically to resume her wardrobe.

Freshly landed from America

On the time they gave the afternoon tea in our honor they’d simply refurnished their home with furnishings bought on their final journey to Italy and France. It was the primary tea of the season and my cousin and his spouse informed us that each one their mates had been very anxious to satisfy us. As theirs is a dancing set the information that a Turk, freshly landed from America together with his American spouse, could be current on the tea had created fairly a sensation; they had been all eager to see the most recent steps danced within the States. The dancing repute of the Individuals is worldwide and the truth that my spouse was an American had stirred the curiosity of my cousins’ mates.

As for me, they imagined that anybody who had lived in America for such a very long time should of necessity be an excellent dancer. Solely a only a few of the members of this set had been recognized to me, and that very superficially, as I had met them as babies after I had beforehand’ been in Constantinople. Now most of them had been married and had youngsters of their very own.

So after we arrived at my cousin’s home we needed to be launched to everybody. My cousin, Salih Zia Bey, and his spouse, Madame Zia Bey, did the honors in that almost all beautiful trendy Turkish vogue which, regardless of all its westernization, has nonetheless stored one thing of the ceremony attribute of the outdated Turkey.

 

A poor soldier of fortune

Strangest of all this, that the mad agony of grief, the fervour of desolation that came across me when our lengthy partnership was dissolved for ever, ought to now be nothing however a reminiscence, like different recollections, to be summoned up out of the resting-places of the thoughts, toyed with, idly questioned, and dismissed with a sigh and a smile! What an actual factor it was simply ten years in the past; what a really current ache! Imagine me, Will, sure, I need you to consider this that in these first hours of loneliness I might have welcomed dying; dying would have fallen upon me as calmly as sleep has fallen upon my boy within the room past there.

Extravagant

You knew nothing of this then; I suppose you however half consider it now; for our parting was manly sufficient. I saved as stiff an higher lip as you probably did, for all there was much less hair on it. Maybe it appears extravagant to you. However there was a deal of distinction between our instances. You had turned your pen to money-making, on the name of affection; you had been going to Stillwater to marry the judges daughter, and to change into a fantastic land-owner and mayor of Stillwater and millionaire or what’s it now? And far of this you foresaw or hoped for, not less than. Hope is one thing. However for me? I used to be left within the third-story of a poor lodging- home in St. Marks Place, my finest good friend gone from me; with neither remembrance nor hope of Like to stay on, and with my final story again from all of the magazines.

We won’t discuss it. Let me get again to my nice library with the books and the photographs and the glancing fire-light, and me with my toes in your bearskin rug, listening to my wifes step within the subsequent room.

To your ear, for our communion has been so lengthy and so shut that to both of us the faintest inflection of the others voice speaks clearer than formulated phrases; to your ear there have to be one thing akin to a tone of remorse remorse for the outdated days in what I’ve simply mentioned. And would it not be unusual if there have been?

A poor soldier of fortune who had been set to a mans work earlier than he had carried out along with his meager boyhood, who had handed from recruit to a spot of a younger veteran in that nice, hard-fighting, unresting pioneer military of journalism; was he the person, hastily, to stretch his toughened sinews out and allow them to chill out within the glow of the house fireside? Wouldn’t his legs start to twitch for the highway; would he not be wild to really feel once more the rain in his weatherbeaten face?

Would you suppose it unusual if at night time he ought to toss in his white, comfortable mattress, longing to alter it for a blanket on the turf, with the broad procession of sunlit worlds sweeping over his head, past the blue areas of the night time? And even when the expensive face on the pillow subsequent him had been to wake and have a look at him with reproachful shock; and even when heat arms drew him again to his new allegiance; wouldn’t his coronary heart in desires go throbbing to the rhythm of the drum or the music of songs sung by the camp-fire?

That the host is simply

Don’t abuse the benefit of a “two-penny submit,” by making individuals pay the postage of letters by yourself enterprise merely, and transmitted by means of such a channel solely on your comfort, by saving the difficulty of sending a servant. The postage upon one solitary notice is small, it’s true; however might quantity to a big sum within the combination. Rely on it, essentially the most “tiff” individuals .won’t be very a lot offended on the postage being paid, though some have an effect on brazenly to despise an expense at which they grumble in secret.

Your organization how a lot any specific dish

Keep away from the dangerous style of telling your organization how a lot any specific dish, wines, pines, or different delicacies in your desk, have price you, nonetheless costly. It’s a quite common however notably indelicate trick with parvenus, to be able to impress on these current, the complete weight. and obligation of the “deal with” and can’t fail to make their visitors really feel most uncomfortably, that the host is simply as prone to calculate to the fraction of a farthing, the worth of what every particular person eats .and drinks. “That wine you’re now consuming stands me in 4s. 9d. a bottle, by the pipe.” “Oh ! oh! ” thinks the visitor, “then if I drink half a bottle, I shall be 2s. 4percentd. in his debt.” And who, having as soon as had his ideas turned that method, doesn’t calculate what his portion of the entire “ unfold ” is likely to be, and really feel inclined to place his hand in his pocket and tender the cash ?

Or even worse than this we heard of a younger woman, who, on the desk of her father, was gauche sufficient to tell his visitor of the price of the wine per glass!! Even the phrases wherein the invitation given by a Frenchman was couched, “Will you settle for from me a cup of tea? ” appeared to put a sure pecuniary worth upon the trifling civility, which made its “ acceptance ” unpleasant. We as soon as heard a person on the head of his personal desk thus enlighten the convivialists

“ That supper now earlier than you price me forty kilos, each farthing of it, [a lie, by the way it did,; the entire, concern [there had been a ball] received’t price me lower than eighty kilos it received’t, upon my soul!! ” an announcement adequate to present his visitors the colic, if solely in some form to alleviate themselves of the duty.

Communism is a regime that some nations skilled it. Bulgaria is considered one of them. Many recollections are stored, many monuments are destroyed however nonetheless loads to be seen and learnt. Communist Bulgaria tour is an choice that may make you perceive communism a bit.

 

Social circles of Constantinople

There were only two or three foreigners among the guests, and the most prominent of them was the Japanese Ambassador, who is quite popular in the social circles of Constantinople. The Italian military attaché was also present as well as a French officer.

A Greek lady whose husband is one of the very few prominent Greeks who have remained openly faithful to the cause of Turkey was also there. Needless to say that she and her husband are very much liked by the Turks who recognize their real friends and show them true gratitude under all circumstances. The rest of the crowd was exclusively Turkish, all most attractive and adventure Bulgaria tour genuinely refined people who had kept, despite their extreme westernization, the good manners and the good breeding characteristic of their race.

Turkish gatherings

When everybody had duly partaken of the delicacies and refreshments offered at the tea table, we adjourned with the slight touch of ceremony prevailing in all Turkish gatherings to two spacious drawing rooms on the same floor. And, as we expected, the informal dancing started to the sound of a gramophone of the latest model imported from America.

It was a surprise for us to see how extremely up to date everybody was. Charming Turkish girls were dancing the newest steps as expertly as debutantes of New York, London and Paris with a ancient Bulgaria tour little more decorum, perhaps, and certainly with less “abandon,” but that did not in any way hurt the effect. Quite on the contrary it gave to modern dances a degree of respectability which is not always found in the West.

One other difference that we found was that the tango still reigned supreme here. It was played at least seven or eight times during the evening. But after seeing the excellence with which everybody danced it my wife and I were quite reluctant to give a demonstration of our own limited abilities. We had to immolate ourselves, however, and although we did our best to come up to expectation, I am not quite certain that we entirely succeeded. Of course I had to explain that I should not be personally taken as an exponent of the American art as I was not and never had been an expert in dancing. My wife saved the day for America by tangoing with the real experts as perfectly as only an American girl can.

 

Service to Bulgarian art

Ivan Markvitchka, who is by nationality a Tzech, came to Bulgaria as early as 1882, or shortly after the liberation of the Principality. In the course of his now already long career in his adopted country he has rendered signal service to Bulgarian art. Markvitchka was the first to organise the teaching of drawing and painting as obligatory subjects in the programme of the Bulgarian secondary schools, and to him mainly was entrusted the choice of the foreign teachers of drawing.

He was among the most prominent organisers of the art section at the National Exhibition held in 1892, as well as of the art gallery attached to the National Museum in Sofia, not to mention the part played by him in the founding of the first art society in Bulgaria and in the opening of the School of Painting. In addition to all this, he has been one of the most prolific contributors to the different art exhibitions, and the busiest artist with State and private orders.

Having begun as a mere teacher of drawing, Markvitchka has succeeded, by dint of labour and by untiring perseverance, in becoming President of the Society of Bulgarian Artists, Director of the State School of Painting, member of the Archaea logical Commission of the Ministry of Public Instruction, etc. Owing to the peculiar conditions in which art in Bulgaria was placed during the earlier years, Markvitchka has, in the course of his career, cultivated in turn nearly every variety of art. There is hardly any form of painting at which he has not tried his hand. He has laid under contribution every subject offered by Bulgarian scenery, Bulgarian life, or the revolutionary period (preliberation period and the recent Macedonian revolution). His pictures are to be found everywhere: in the royal palaces, in private houses, in the National Museum, in various churches and public offices.

Academy of Prague

Educated at the Academy of Prague, he acquired his real artistic training in Bulgaria by means of incessant work and by running through the whole scale of subjects: altars, graphical sketches of Bulgarian peasants, scenes of peasant life, illustrations of novels, decorative painting, portraiture, icons for Orthodox churches, etc.

The feeling which he puts into his pictures varies from the sentimentalism of moonlit nights to tragedy, as reflected in his Macedonian pictures. It must, however, be admitted that the talent of Markvitchka, unquestionable though it be, is not quite so manysided as his repertory, neither has it always been equal to the problems with which he had to deal. In his genre pictures the ethnographical element is always at the expense of the contents.

His icons never seem to render the typically Bulgarian religious feeling; his landscapes abound in artificial effects, his tragic pictures in rather sickly sentimentalism. Even his portraits, wherein he excels, seem to suffer from a certain unnatural elevation in the expression of the face, which has nothing in common with the real person. Absorbed as Markvitchka has been in incessant and exhaustive work during the best part of the last quarter of a century, he has not had sufficient opportunity to thoroughly perfect his technique in order to cope more successfully with the difficulties of the variety of subjects which the special conditions of artistic life in Bulgaria have hitherto forced upon him.

 

The Pallava king Narasimhavarman

Pallava capital

In his conflict with the Pailavas he almost reached the Pallava capital, but the Pailavas purchased peace by ceding their northern provinces to Pulakesin II. About A.D. 610 Pulakesin II wrested from the Pailavas the region between the Krishna and the Godavari, which came to be known as the province of Vengi. Here was set up a branch of the main dynasty, and it is known as the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. However, Pulakesin’s second invasion of the Pallava territory ended in failure.

The Pallava king Narasimhavarman (A.D. 630668) occupied the Chalukya capital at Vatapi in about A.D. 642, when Pulakesin II was probably killed in fight against” the Pailavas. Narasimhavarman assumed the title of Vatapikonda or the conqueror of Vatapi. He is also said to have defeated the Cholas, the Cheras’, the Pandyas and the Kalabhras.

Towards the end of the seventh century there was a lull in this conflict, which was again resumed in the first half of the eighth century A.D. The Chalukya king Vikramaditya II (A.D. 733745) is said to have overrun Kanchi three times. In 740 he completely defeated the Pailavas.

His victory ended the Pallava supremacy in the far south although the ruling house continued for more than a century afterwards. However, the Chalukyas could not enjoy the fruits of their victory over the Pailavas for long for their own hegemony was brought to an end in 757 by the Rashtrakutas.

Temples

Besides the performance of Vedic sacrifices, I the worship of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, especially of the last two, was getting popular. From the seventh century the Alvar saints, who were great devotees of Vishnu, popularized the worship of this god. The Nayannars rendered a similar service to the cult of Siva. The Pallava kings constructed a number of stone temples m the seventh and eighth centuries for housing these gods.

The most famous of them are the seven rather temples found at Mahabalipuram, at a distance of 65 km from Madras. These were built m the seventh century by Narasimhavarman, who founded the port city of Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram This city is also famous for the Shore Temple, which was a structural construction. In addition to this the Pallavas constructed several structural temples at their capital Kanchi. A very good example was the Kailasanath temple built in the eighth century.

The Chalukyas of Badami erected numerous temples at Aihole from about A.D. 610. Aihole contains as many as 70 temples.

Understanding of ancient materials

In theory, these could not fail to locate any conspicuous architectural remains. However, today, with labor costs enormously increased, they would be prohibitively expensive and involve a great deal of work, which would be likely to prove pointlessly repetitive.

The truth is that the disposal of trial excavations, their area and shape, can only be determined by practical considerations, depending on inferences made from the conformation of the mound itself. In addition, the nature of these can only be adequately explained by citing a variety of practical examples, as it is intended to do in the pages, which follow.

However, for the moment it may be well to return to the subject of wall tracing and the understanding of ancient materials.

In the very early stages of community life in the Near East, walls were often built of pies, which is the equivalent of the South American term, adobe; that is, simple clay mixed with straw and built up in convenient lumps or slabs. After this came the almost universal use of sun dried mud bricks, prismatic in shape but of widely varying dimensions. Mud brick, as is now generally known, is made with the aid of a four-sided wooden mound, having no top or bottom.

Thus to keep the besiegers constantly in a state of alarm

Wcliko’s brother, Milutin, was the first to encounter the Turks ; who appeared near Xladowo, and attacked the peasants as they were busily engaged in carrying off their property into the mountains. Milutin dispersed the enemy; but, from inability to pursue them with his horsemen over the mountain paths, he did not succeed in recapturing all the booty and prisoners they had taken.

On hearing of this, AVeliko determined to scour the country whilst awaiting the enemy. He drove many thousand head of cattle into his citadel of Xegotin, and ventured as far as the gates of Widdin ; where lie was seen, on his Arabian steed, in the plain before the fortress. Xear Bukowtscha he put to flight the first Turkish troops which appeared on the Timok.

But when the Turks arrived, 18,000 strong, he was obliged to shut himself up in Xegotin. It was then his delight to make sallies, day after day, and night after night; and thus to keep the besiegers constantly in a state of alarm. Compared with the losses which he caused them, his own were trivial: though he lost better soldiers, and each diminution of his numbers could not but be seriously felt. At last both parties were obliged to solicit aid   the Turks, from the Grand Vizier; and AVeliko, from Kara George and the Senate.

The Turks were not long unassisted. Ketschep Aga, the Wallachian Prince Karadschia, and the Grand Vizier himself led on a reinforcement. They made their way under cover of the night, and by mining, nearer and nearer to the fortifications.

They battered down with their cannon one tower of Xegotin after another; and lastly the highest, which was the residence of Weliko himself. Still he lost not his courage ; but went down and lived in the vault. Every thing, of lead or tin, which could be found in the place, he melted into balls; not excepting even spoons and lamps ; and one day, wlicn all metal else was exhausted, lie ordered his men to load their guns with pieces of money instead of bullets, and thus successfully kept off the enemy.

If lie could but have received assistance! On receiving AYeliko’s request for aid, Kara George, whose corps of reserve had never been brought into a state of efficiency, sent to Alladen. But Mladcn’s answer was:   “ He may help himself! If is praise is sung to him, at his table, by ten singers; mine is not: let him then keep his ground   the hero!The Senate   to whom AYeliko had written, in the most severe terms, saying that, “at Christmas he would inquire in what manner the country was governed! ”   at length sent a vessel to him with ammunition : but it arrived too late.

Old Russian princess

One could not help feeling sorry for him, but the most pathetic of all are the women. One day an Old Russian princess was ushered into my office. Her name was familiar to me as having been the hostess in the years gone by in her stupendous estate in Crimea of an uncle of mine on a special mission of the Sultan to the Tsar who was then summering at Yalta. My uncle had told us the lavish manner in which this princess had entertained the Turkish mission. Her residence was a palace filled with precious antique furniture and works of art.

Her meals were served on solid gold plates incrusted with diamonds, rubies and other precious stones. She had thousands of peasants on her estate. Now she was coming to ask my assistance to sell her rights to some oil fields she had in Caucasia. She was willing to sell them for a song the rights to these oil fields whose annual income had been in the past equal to a king’s ransom. I had to explain to her that as the Bolsheviks did not recognize the rights of private property, especially property belonging to the former ski resorts Bulgaria Russian nobility, I was afraid that it would be impossible to find a buyer for her.

The poor lady was disappointed, but she confided to me that she had received similar answers from other business men. She therefore wanted to make me another proposition. When she had fled from Crimea she had hidden her most precious jewels in a place where she knew the Bolsheviks would never think to search for them. She was now ready to tell exactly where these jewels were and to divide them with anyone who would recover them for her.

Proposition impracticable

When I told her that the insurmountable difficulties of getting her jewels out of the country while the Bolsheviks were still there made her proposition impracticable, the poor old lady, making a superhuman effort not to break down at this, possibly the hundredth, refusal of her “business” proposition, asked me if I knew anyone who would care to take French lessons. Happily my wife wanted to take up French and I was able to help her.

Russians are not the only ones who scramble for business. Hundreds of transactions are proposed by and handled through people of a hundred different nationalities, and the characteristics of each individual nation govern the negotiations in each transaction. With so many diversified propositions and with the different style of negotiations they each require, it really is a fortunate thing that the religions of the different races of the Near East crowd the calendar with many diversified holidays. Otherwise few business men would be able to stand the strain.

US-Cuban relations in the 20th century

The US helped Cuba rebuild its sugar plantations by sending machinery and technical help and, in return, taking over many of the country’s largest estates. This would be the start of US infiltration into Cuba, a small yet significant island it probably sought to annex if given half the chance.

The first President of the newly independent nation, Tomas Estrada Palma, was a main player in the Spanish American War and the one to secure US help. Although infrastructure and general standard of living in Cuba greatly improved under his tenure, it did so in exchange for greater US dominance over the nation and, for this, Palma has always been greatly criticized in his homeland.

The 1933 revolution would see military leader Fulgencio Batista set up a police state in Cuba, something which greatly decreased the standard of living and freedoms in the country. By the time Fidel Castro and his brother Raul concocted a guerrilla warfare against Batista in 1956, Cubans were desperate for change and freedom, something the Castros and their ally, the Argentinian revolutionary Che Guevara, took full advantage of.

Batista went into exile in 1959 and Castro took over as President, with the first order of the day being to silence his opposition. The severing of ties with the US, a long-time ally, occurred in 1961 and Cuba, knowing it would have no defence against such a powerful enemy, immediately aligned with the US’ most well-known enemy, the USSR, fuelling a Cold War to would continue for decades thereafter.

The USSR’ plan to use Cuba as a missile-launching pad led to what is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis and, at its absolute peak, the Bay of Pigs Crisis in 1963, an attempt at a Castro-overthrow by US President JF Kennedy. The political and economic partnership which helped both countries for so long was now well and truly relegated to the history books.

The US imposed a most severe embargo on Cuba who, in turn, aligned with the USSR, its enemy’s most fervent enemy. The Cold War may not have led to a much-feared WWIII yet US-Cuban relations would continue to be strained to breaking point, to say the least, for the next 50 years.

 

People of Damascus

On a certain year, I was travelling from Balk with some people of Damascus, and the road was infested with robbers. There was a young man of our party, are expert handler of the shield, a mighty archer, a brandisher of all weapons, so strong that ten men could not draw his bowstring, and the most powerful wrestler on the face of the earth had never brought his back to the ground; but he was rich, and had been nursed in the shade, was inexperienced in the world, and no traveler.

The thundering sound of the martial drum had never reached his ear, neither had his eyes seen the lightning of the horseman’s sword; he had never been made prisoner by the enemy, nor had the arrows fallen in showers around him. It happened that I and this young man were running together; every wall that came in his way he pulled down, and every large tree that he saw, by the force of his arm he tore up by the roots. He was boasting, saying, “Where is the elephant, that you may behold the shoulders of the hero?

Where is the lion that you may see the fingers and palm of the brave man? ” We were in this situation, when two Indians lifted up their heads from behind a rock with the intention to kill us; one had a stick in his hand, and the other a sling under his arm. I said to the young man, “Why do you stop? Show your strength and velour, for here is the enemy within a foot of in grave.” I saw tile bow and arrows drop from the hand of the young man, and a trembling seized all his joints. Not everyone who can split a hair with an arrow that will pierce a coat of mail, is able to stand against the warrior in the day of battle.

We saw no other remedy for ourselves, but to leave our accoutrements, surrender our arms, and escape with our lives. On an affair of importance employ a man of experience, who will bring the devouring lion into his trammels. A young man, though he has strength of arm and is powerful as an elephant, will feel his joints quaking with fear in the day of battle. A man of experience is as well qualified to act in war as the learned man is to expound a case of law.

 

This Insider’s Guide To Honduras

Honduras, although not the most popular of Central America’s countries, is an absolute diamond in the rough. Its fantastic culture, history and world-class natural beauty stunts visitors from all over the world. Its beaches, wildlife reserves and Maya ruins are second to non, and the vibrant traditions of the native people will truly dazzle you.

Avid snorkelers and beach bums alike will fall in love with the Bay Islands, while the foodies amongst you will thoroughly enjoy the fusions of flavours in Honduran cuisine. Honduras has warm and fairly dry weather all year round, and each season brings with it new and exciting possibilities. There’s truly something for everyone in this magical country, and we’ll tell you all about it in this Insider’s guide to Honduras.

Weather

Honduras has a rather tropical weather system, just without that pesky humidity. The rainy season tends to hit the coastal areas from October through to February, but inland, the weather stays mostly dry. Summer comes around from March to April, where you will find the whole country is extremely hot and dry, with temperatures soaring to 35°C.

The Bay Islands have a more Caribbean climate than the rest of the country, and the best time to visit is from March to September. During this time, the temperatures are cooler, and there are very few rainy days. If you are looking to visit Honduras for the Whale Shark season, then visit during June to September, this is when the magnificent animals are most abundant.

Food

Honduran cuisine is a marvellous mix of indigenous, Lenca flavours, Spanish flare, Caribbean spice and African influences. Coconut and coconut milk is used in almost everything, from savoury meat dishes, to sweet pastries and cakes.

Regional specialties include fried fish with pickled onions and jalepiños, hot tamales, meat roasted with Chismol, carne asada, and the most famous dish, baleadas. Baleadas are an extra thick corn tortilla, filled with fried beans, crumbled cheese and crema.

The Hondurans are also crazy about their soups. They eat them in winter to warm up, and in summer to regulate body temperature and cool down. Some of the most popular soups are; mondongo soup, made with tripe, searing seafood soup, beef soup and bean soup. All of which are made from scratch, in the true Honduran way.

Eat local

Although Honduras is cheap compared to most places in Central America, the country has become savvy to the world of tourism. Many of the restaurants and bars in the popular areas have raised their prices to a surprising high, but the smaller restaurants keep their prices low for the locals.

Don’t throw things

It’s a cultural offence to pass something to someone by throwing it. Honduran people are very tactile, and always pass items from hand to hand. They see the gesture of throwing something as an insult, as they reserve this act only for the dogs in the street.

Carry small bills

Using large bills, such as 100 or 500 Lempiras in smaller shops is extremely rude to the owner, as you are asking him to have change that’s equivalent to his weekly wage on hand. Be sure to carry small bills when shopping in very rural or local areas to avoid this.

 

Their Short and Typical Characteristics

Ancient men called every mountain they saw in Anatolia and Greece as “Mount Olympus”. Mount Olympus is the home of gods. They used to spend most of their time there. Gods lived here with their contrivances, loves and brutality.

Over twenty mountains in Anatolia have been named as Olympus while there is only one mountain in Greece that can be Mount Olympus. Mounts Erciyes, Hasan, Ararat, Süphan, Uludağ… Each of these was a kind of Mount Olympus and home of gods. The Olympian gods were happier in Anatolia. They used to travel from one mountain to another and enjoy their immor­tality while they had just one homeland in Greece. They used to watch the sunrise and sunset of the enchanting Anatolian sun. They were keeping an eye on Anatolian people and enjoying the votives submitted to them. Therefore, Anatolia has been the homeland of the Olympian gods. Since they spent most of their time in Anatolia, their love affairs, quarrels, weddings, races and festivals took place in locations within the boundaries of Anatolia. We see that the names of the places of incidents generally belong to Anatolia when we have a look on the affairs between immor­tals and the gods and goddesses.

The Twelve Olympian Gods

Zeus: As it is known he deposes his father from the throne and takes the lead of the gods. He is the lord of heavens. Here, his sister at the same time is Zeus’s wife.

Zeus by a large shows his strength by generating lightning. No one has can know what he is going to do and o does whatever he wants. However he is fair in most cases. All of the good and evil instances the mankind experience are his appreciation. He 11 eates hurricanes and punishes the mankind if they seem to be i orrupting day by day.

Zeus came into the world by Rea on the Mount Ida. Then he married his sister Hera and had a glorious wedding. Yet, Hera was unhappy most of the time in their marriage and is always filled with hatred of Zeus’s infidelities. No matter mortal, immortal, woman or man, Zeus cheats on her every time.

One day Hera sits on her own above the rocks of the Mount Olympus and watches the matchless beauty of Anatolia. Some people are working on their fields, some fishing and some hav­ing fun with his or her beloved. Hera oversees the heavenly riv­ers on “Heaven Garden Anatolia” one by one, Tigris, Euphrates, Kızılırmak, Gediz, Sakarya… But she is always obsessed with Zeus. Because he is not around, god knows after whom he is.

She wishes to punish Zeus for her hatred against him; but how?… While there is no one on Mount Olympus and she is alone, Hera summons one handsome guy among the immortal mankind to the Mount Olympus.

Hera, who got off the deep end from jealousy, is dedicated; she is going to cheat on her. She puts the Kerberos dog with one hundred eyes to the skirts of the mountain to stand guard so that no one will come up. Fifty ones of one hundred eyes of this dog are open in the daytime and the other fifty at night. In this way, he is usually awake and no one even gods can go in the place he is guarding.

Having taken the Mount Olympus under control with Kerberos dog the guarding, Hera becomes closer to her lover and more relaxed. However, the youngest of the gods, Hermes, gets wind of this situation. He immediately lets his father Zeus, who is going after another adventure away from the Mount Olympus. Zeus goes crazy and instantaneously returns to Olympus but the dog does not let him. All threats by Zeus are in vain. Zeus calls his son Apollo for help. After being informed, Apollo begins to play his lyre in style. Zeus does not grasp what is going on.

He springs lightening around with anger. Apollo wants Zeus to stay calm. After a few minutes the eyes of the watchdog begin to go closed as a result of the effect by lyre and Zeus sets out to Olympus. He disgraces Hera and his lover. He beats them for many hours. The watchdog went fall asleep by influenced by the magical sound of lyre played by Apollo is found guilty by Zeus and he calls the dog immediately. He insults the dog so much but Zeus cannot unwind still and tears out the eyes of the dog one by one with his hands. He throws down these eyes from the Mount Olympus. The eyes of the dog fall onto the tails of the peacock going by at that time. Those beautiful eyes we see on the tails of the peacock today are the eyes of watchdog Kerberos.

As it can be inferred from this adventure taken place between Zeus and Hera, a kind of patriarchal order is seen when lifestyles and family hierarchy are examined. The woman does not work, her place is her home. Her only duty is to cook and give birth to a child. Every Hellene has a loyal wife who bears a child and mis­tress with who he can entertain himself. The woman never can cheat on her husband. The punishment is death penalty. While the social and moral structure was as shaped like this, the gods have to be similar in this respect so that their position becomes legitimized.