July 28, 2021

GASTRO OBSCURA Broomstick Signals In southern Germany’s wine regions, a besen, or a broomstick, signifies something special. For up to 16 weeks, local laws permit winemakers to set up temporary restaurants to serve their latest harvest. So each year, typically in spring and fall, they sweep out their family room or barn, drag tables out from the garage, and recruit family members as servers. Then, they hang a broomstick outside to indicate they’re open. These broomsticks inspired the name of these pop-up establishments: besenwirtschaften, or simply besens, where for years, a unique tradition allows winemakers to host and serve customers in their homes. READ MORE → QUINCY, FLORIDA The Town of Coca-Cola Millionaires A small town in Florida was once the richest town per capita in the United States, all thanks to one shrewd businessman who urged his fellow townspeople to invest in Coca-Cola shares while they were still cheap during the Great Depression. The Coke shares helped save the town of Quincy from the worst of the Great Depression, keeping the farming town afloat during hard times with its Coca-Cola dividends. READ MORE → Reviving Welsh Handball An imposing concrete structure dominates a central location in the Welsh village of Nelson. More than 150 years old, it’s the home of the ancient game of Pêl-Law, or Welsh handball. It’s the only functioning court in the country where the sport originated, and is the last venue for a sport that may have descended from a version brought to the British Isles by the Romans some 2,000 years ago. The peak of Welsh handball’s popularity was in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but it’s been on the decline for decades. Now, players and enthusiasts hope a new version of the game can keep the long tradition alive. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS New Zealand’s Natural Wonders Maori Te Ika-a-Maui, the North Island of New Zealand abounds with natural wonders. On this trip, we’ll be paying homage to all things aquatic, from rivers and oceans to waterfalls and mud pools, and to cap it all off: the incredible glowworm caves of Waitomo. Join us for an adventure that will activate all of your senses, and remind us of the majestic ecosystems we must all work together to conserve. LEARN MORE → The Funniest Plaques Plaques are all over our built environment, if you’re looking for them: on walls, the sidewalk, or the side of a building, each telling a story about a historical event, person, or place. While some can be sobering, there are also some that have the ability to make people smile, while also highlighting historical moments. From the birthplace of the cheeseburger to the “Emperor of the United States,” here are 14 plaques that will surely elicit a few grins. READ MORE → ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA Alexandria Tide Lock Park This lift lock of the Alexandria Canal is the lone remnant of an ambitious early American transportation project. It was here where waiting ships transferred goods such as grain, lumber, and particularly coal from the Piedmont to ocean-going ships. When operations ceased in 1886, most of the original canal and the lift locks were buried under 20th-century construction in Arlington County and Alexandria City. Thanks to archaeological efforts, today Tidal Pool and Lift Lock No. 1, and its lock mechanism, are re-created and publicly accessible. READ MORE → THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST The Kalamazoo Gals Today, we go to Kalamazoo, Michigan, home to the original Gibson Guitar Factory, and we hear the story of Kalamazoo Gals, the women who stepped up to produce thousands of guitars during World War II, only to be written out of history. Fret not, though—we’ll walk you through the story. Tune in. LISTEN ON OUR SITE →    LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS →    LISTEN ON SPOTIFY →    LISTEN ON STITCHER → FROM THE ARCHIVES This Island Eats Itself Up until about half a century ago, Nishinoshima—a blob of a volcanic island southeast of Tokyo—was quiet. Then, in April 1973, a burbling began beneath the water just east of the island. Over the next few days, new islands formed, then joined together, engulfing the original. In late 2013, another underwater volcano began erupting, forming a new island that eventually merged with Nishinoshima. Nishinoshima keeps growing and growing, and all we can do is watch. READ MORE → GREECE The Oracle of Delphi For ancient Greeks, Delphi was the center of the world: a site sacred to the god Apollo, where all Greeks united to worship. But at its heart was a dark, strange place: the mysterious sanctuary where the priestess of Apollo—the Oracle of Delphi, a feared window into the will of the gods—prophesied. Few traces of the Oracle remain, but the site is still an eerie one. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Culture Through Cuisine In this five-part hands-on seminar starting tonight, we’ll learn about various regions of China through their distinct cuisines, using food as a vehicle for deeper learning. Join Atlas Obscura trip leader and educator Dr. Xiaokun Song as she walks us through cuisines and cooking techniques from across the country, looking at how geography has shaped regional cuisines and unlocking cultural meanings and values in specific dishes. READ MORE →