This journal is mostly public because most of it contains poetry, quotations, pictures, jokes, videos, and news (medical and otherwise). If you like what you see, you are welcome to drop by, anytime. I update frequently.

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Apr. 23rd, 2025

[No Subject]

5:51 AM

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250422.html

What's different about this Moon? What's different about this Moon?


https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250422.html

Apr. 22nd, 2025

Zagreb 80s Museum in Zagreb, Croatia

5:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zagreb-80s-museum

Furniture and home decor from a Yugoslavian home in the 1980.

By the 1980s, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had benefitted from decades of economic growth that left it wealthier than any time before or since. Good trade relationships with the West created a consumer culture found in no other communist country at the time. The Republic of Croatia, being among the most industrialized parts of the federation, became especially wealthy, and quite a few older people there still feel "Yugo-nostalgia" to this day.

The Zagreb 80s Museum is a house museum that showcases what a typical apartment in the city looked like at the time, including many of the foreign and domestic goods families would have had access to. Some may be surprised at the sheer variety of such items, including Atari and Commodore 64 video game consoles, casino games, and even early personal computers. And unlike most other museums, this one actually allows visitors to touch the displays.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zagreb-80s-museum

Republican Lamppost at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain

4:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/republican-lamppost-at-the-royal-palace

The Republican lamppost

In March 1939, Spain was in turmoil. After almost three years, the country's vicious Civil War was coming to an end, and, on April 1, 1939, the fascist dictator Francisco Franco declared victory over the Republican forces backing the country's democratically elected government, known as the Second Spanish Republic.

Franco's new government set out to erase all of the symbols of the previous republican government. Some, however, managed to survive in plain sight, such as an unassuming lamppost at a corner of the Royal Palace in Madrid.

Nearly all of the lampposts in this area of the capital are adorned with royal crowns representing Spain's constitutional monarchy. This lamppost, however, has a small mural crown on top, an emblem of the Second Spanish Republic. 

A mural crown symbolizes a city's walls or towers. In ancient Greece, the coronet represented how the gods watched over a city.

After Spain's 1868 Glorious Revolution deposed Queen Isabella II, the new government stopped using the Spanish royal crown as an architectural motif and instead looked to find a new symbol. The Spanish Academy of History eventually advised using the mural crown because it was less ornamental. 

Starting in the late 19th century, the mural crown was in use, decades before the Second Spanish Republic, which lasted from 1931 to 1936. There's no way to verify whether this lamppost is truly a surviving symbol of the defeated republic, though many like to believe it is, or if it's even older.

Regardless, the lamppost has withstood the passage of time, maintaining an air of mystery that continues to intrigue both locals and visitors.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/republican-lamppost-at-the-royal-palace

Raschpëtzer Qanat in Walferdange, Luxembourg

3:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/raschpetzer-qanat

View inside the P-4.

Just north of Luxembourg City, where the river Alzette meanders its way out of the capital, lies Walferdange. The town is best known for the Raschpëtzer Qanat: a Roman water tunnel, or qanat, that still functions 2,000 years after its construction.

Locals have known about a series of holes in the forest northeast of Walferdange for ages. A legend dating back at least the beginning of the 19th century mentions four wichtelchers-lächer, or goblin holes, in the forest. Another folk tale claims that if you fell into one of the holes, you would come out near the Steinsel mill, a mill which no longer exists that was located downstream from Walferdange on the Alzette river.

The first excavations of the qanat began in 1913 before being interrupted by World War I. Between 1965 and 1970, the excavations were taken up again by members of the Groupe Spéléologique Luxembourg (G.S.L.). But due to a lack of resources and technical difficulties, it wasn’t until October 1986 that the bottom of well N°5 (P5) was reached some 114 feet (35 meters) down. On October 3rd, 1986, archaeologists uncovered a horizontal gallery and confirmed that the well was indeed a Roman qanat.

Today, around 1,000 feet (310 meters) of galleries have been explored. The qanat’s total length is estimated to be around half a mile long (650 to 720 meters). There are 13 known shafts, though some estimate there may be as many as 18. The qanat still produces about 47,500 gallons (180 cubic meters) of water daily, around 2 liters per second. This is probably slightly less than its original Roman output since the area wasn’t covered with vegetation then.

The qanat follows a chaotic course and was likely dug by two groups trying to reach each other. At the bottom of P8, a piece of wood with traces of rope wear—possibly from the construction of the qanat—has been dated to around 140, confirming the qanat was built during the Roman period between the 1st and 2nd centuries. A well-preserved shovel made of beech wood was also found in well P9.

Well P-4 (a negative number because several wells were discovered downstream of P1, which was thought to be the first well in the original numbering system) has a low dam or weir that controls the flow of water into a drainage canal. However, just before the P-5 well, the water disappears into the rock. Excavations show that this occurred when Romans operated the qanat and that their attempts at a solution were unsuccessful.

The biggest mystery remains why and for whom the qanat was built. A nearby archaeological site surrounded by a square wall was discovered along the Rue des Vergers, next to an electricity substation, but the site was never excavated due to lack of resources.

Given its size and the effort required to supply the qanat’s water, it could well have been a Roman military camp. The other ten Roman qanats in Luxembourg all supplied villas. The exceptional length and depth of the Walferdange qanat, however, make it stand out.

The other known Roman villas on the same slope were all connected to a spring. Likely a small natural spring, the Dauwebur, also supplied the camp. It provided only 5,000 gallons (20 cubic meters) of water per day, not enough to meet daily needs, so the qanat was likely added to provide more water.

The qanat is underground. However, many features are visible on the surface. Visitors can see the 10 excavated shafts, which have all been covered with metal lids. Two are windowed: P5 to see its 114 feet (35 meter) depth and P-4 to see the overflow bifurcation. The water outlet from the bifurcation was rebuilt in 2000. It now shows a cross-section of the pipeline. Finally, there is a gallery at well P-5. Here you can see where the water disappears underground. The walls of the access corridor are lined with explanatory panels. Few other Roman qanat sites have as many ruins and allow partial access to the water conduit.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/raschpetzer-qanat

The Southampton Arms in London, England

2:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-southampton-arms

The Southampton Arms focuses on small beer and cider producers in the U.K.

Bored of Guinness and Stella? If so, consider The Southampton Arms. The pub, in Kentish Town, claims to be London’s only dedicated ale and cider house that serves drinks exclusively from small or independent producers in the U.K. This means eight kegs of beer, eight casks of hand-pulled ale, and six different ciders, making it probably also the London pub with the greatest selection of cider and peary. The house pale ale and lager are constants while the other taps are frequently changed out.

The Southampton Arms is known for its food as well (“ALE CIDER MEAT” is painted on the pub’s exterior). There’s a short menu of meaty English dishes, and the hot roast pork bap (bap being a type of roll) is so popular, an order can command a 20-minute wait. Vegetarians can opt for the cheese and chutney bap.

Music is provided by vinyl sets or live piano music on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and there’s an inviting outdoor terrace out back. Above all else, The Southampton Arms is the type of friendly, casual, worn-in place that could go in the dictionary under the term Pub.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-southampton-arms

Kofuku Train Station in Obihiro, Japan

1:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kofuku-train-station

In a sparsely populated area of Obihiro, a city in northern Japan, an abandoned train station has been attracting visitors for decades. Known as Kofuku Station, which means "happiness" in Japanese, the station closed in 1987. Yet, each year, around 100,000 people—especially couples—visit the site in search of some happiness of their own.

The station's name combines two Japanese words: Kōshin, the original name for the area, and Fukui, the name of a prefecture in southern Japan. Many Fukui farmers settled in Obihiro after the southern prefecture flooded in 1902.

To create the station's name, the prefix Kō was combined with Fuku (Kō + Fuku = Kōfuku). For the settlers, the name's double meaning was not a coincidence. They wanted to honor where they had come from and also wished for happiness in their new home.

Kofuku Station opened in 1956, originally designed as a temporary stop on the Hiroo Line between Obihiro and suburban Tokyo.

Serving a rural area, the station was humble, comprised of a small wooden structure with a waiting room, shop, and ticket stand.

It wasn't until it was featured on a 1973 Japanese travel program that tourists started visiting. Visitors came from all over to ride the Hiroo Line between Kofuku and Aikoku Stations (aikoku means “land of love” in Japanese).

In 1972, only seven people made the journey between the two stations. In the following year, a staggering 3 million did.  

Although tourism persisted, making up 80% of the Hiroo Line's sales in 1981, it was not enough to save the line when the Japanese National Railways were privatized in 1987. Despite this, the local government preserved Kofuku Station, and anime mascots were created to promote it.

Kofuku Station was rebuilt in 2013 after the original had badly deteriorated. At the station, visitors can tour two diesel locomotives that sit on the unused tracks. Inside the locomotives, tourists can purchase a replica Hiroo Line ticket that can be attached to the station's walls to attract more happiness.

Just outside the station, visitors can ring the so-called "Bell of Happiness." Couples can also participate in a "happy ceremony," a mock wedding, and the post office down the street offers a special commemorative stamp too.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kofuku-train-station

Eldena Abbey in Greifswald, Germany

12:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/eldena-abbey

In northern Germany, on the outskirts of the historic port city of Greifswald, the monumental ruins of a 12th-century monastery stand among a quiet forest. Neglected for centuries, the ruins played a key role in the German Romantic movement, featuring heavily in the work of Caspar David Friedrich.

Danish Cisterian monks founded the original abbey in 1199. After the Battle of Bornhöved in 1227, the Danes were forced to withdraw from Northern Germany, and the abbey became part of Pomerania, a historical duchy ruled by the House of Pomerania (also known as the Griffins).

The abbey served as the burial place for the last members of the House of Pomerania.

As part of the Reformation, the abbey was dissolved in 1535 and soon started to fall into disrepair. During the Thirty Years' War, between 1618 and 1648, the abbey was badly damaged. Bricks from the abbey were also repurposed and used to build new buildings during the 17th and 18th centuries. 

During the early 19th century, the German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich came across Eldena Abbey, and soon began depicting the ruins in a range of works, including The Abbey in the Oakwood and Ruins in the Giant Mountains.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/eldena-abbey

The Dublin Castle in London, England

11:00 AM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-dublin-castle

Look for the cheery red and white exterior.

While many a London pub may claim names such as Charles Dickens or Dylan Thomas as former customers, The Dublin Castle touts its connection to Suggs and Amy Winehouse.

The pub got its start in 1856 as a meeting place for Irish immigrants. It was one of several north London pubs specifically catering to people from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, an effort to quell sectarian conflicts. 

Then in 1979, the pub, which also houses a live music space, offered a residency to the up-and-coming local band, Madness. This kicked off the band’s career, and in the following decades, The Dublin Castle became a launch pad for bands and artists such as Blur, The Libertines, Coldplay, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, and Amy Winehouse. The Dublin Castle still hosts live music from Wednesdays to Sundays. 

Despite its growing fame—in 2017, the pub was awarded the Music Heritage Award, given to venues that played a crucial role in helping to create music history—The Dublin Castle retains a scruffy, underground feel. The walls are practically coated with band stickers, and clientele includes crusty old rock and roll types, locals, and the odd tourist taking pictures of autographed photos to a playlist that spans The Smiths, The Beat, New York Dolls, Amy Winehouse, and The Specials.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-dublin-castle

Castellum Hoge Woerd in Utrecht, Netherlands

10:00 AM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/castellum-hoge-woerd

Castellum from above.

Over 2000 years ago, the Roman Empire's northern frontier (also known as the Limes) contained several outposts along the Rhine river. Some of these outposts were at the center of present-day Dutch cities, such as Utrecht.

Today, a recreated military outpost, Castellum Hoge Woerd, sits on top of the remains of the area's original Roman fortress still buried beneath the ground.

In 1997, an archaeological excavation in the Utrecht neighborhood of Leidsche Rijn discovered key Roman infrastructure, including a Roman ship and road. This led to the largest archaeological research project in the Netherlands to date, during which more ancient artifacts were discovered, such as the remains of a watchtower, artillery, and more ships.

In 2007, work began on a modern museum, the Castellum Hoge Woerd, to display these findings. The museum is a near-perfect recreation of the original Roman outpost, and was built in the same location and is the same size as its Roman predecessor.

One of the museum's showpieces is a Roman ship discovered during the excavations. Named the Meern 1, the ship is the most intact Roman river vessel ever found in northwestern Europe. A reconstructed Roman watchtower can also be seen just outside the main museum. 

The Castellum also contains Podium Hoge Woerd, a theatre for cultural performances, and a cafe.

Castellum Hoge Woerd is part of the Lower Germanic Limes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/castellum-hoge-woerd

Belvedere do Grinfo in Petrópolis, Brazil

9:00 AM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/belvedere-do-grinfo

Designed by architects Marcelo, Milton, and Mauricio Roberto, the Belvedere do Grinfo is situated along the downhill section of the BR-040 highway, connecting Petrópolis and Xerém. Locals once called the building Pé de Palito, roughly translating to "toothpick foot," referring to the construction's odd, toothpick-like base that supports a round, UFO-like interior.

Constructed in the late 1950s, the Belvedere do Grinfo opened as a disco restaurant in 1960, shortly after the highway was built. The restaurant did very well initially, becoming an almost mandatory stop for those traveling along the Rio-Petrópolis highway.

Then, Vladimir Pavelka and Helene Pavelka, a Czech-German couple who had emigrated to Brazil after World War II, opened a new restaurant in the Belvedere do Grinfo, which also did well for a time.

Unfortunately, the Belvedere do Grinfo closed down after new lanes were added to the BR-040 highway, reducing travelers to the restaurant. 

"Belvedere" is an Italian word that refers to any structure or monument whose location allows people to enjoy the view.

Despite once being a beloved stop for travelers to Rio, today the Belvedere de Grinfo has been abandoned for many years. But visitors continue to visit the building, drawn to its curious flying saucer shape.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/belvedere-do-grinfo

[No Subject]

5:12 AM

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250421.html

Is this one galaxy or two? Is this one galaxy or two?


https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250421.html

Apr. 21st, 2025

Fort Zion in Virgin, Utah

5:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fort-zion

A series of storefronts resembling an Old Western town.

Fort Zion offers a solid, quirky detour before heading into the grandeur of Zion National Park. Built to resemble one of Utah's old Western frontier towns, the "fort" boasts a petting zoo, a gift shop filled with cowboy trinkets and Native American crafts, an ice cream parlor, and a restaurant serving up buffalo, elk, and even rattlesnake burgers.

The real star of the show? The "Virgin Jail," a wooden jail that makes for the perfect photo op in the town of Virgin, Utah. Surrounding the jail are other hilariously small Old West-style buildings, including a bank, a saloon, and a "House of Negotiable Affection."

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fort-zion

Le Bunker De La Rochelle in La Rochelle, France

3:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/le-bunker-de-la-rochelle

Display Cases

La Rochelle is a historic port city on France's Atlantic coast, known for its medieval towers, maritime heritage, and stunning Old Port. During World War II, La Rochelle took on a crucial role as a strategic submarine base for German U-boats, which caused chaos to the Allies' Atlantic supply lines.

German forces installed significant infrastructure to ensure this effort continued uninterrupted. Massive, heavily fortified U-boat pens housed the vessels. In central La Rochelle, a top-secret bunker was constructed to protect third flotilla submariners and officers from intense Allied bombing as they rested between their devastating missions.

Installed below the former Hôtel des Étrangers, the 3,000-square-foot bunker was completed in utter secrecy and went into operation in October 1941. It had bomb-proof, reinforced concrete walls and featured large rooms, a bar, offices, and toilets.

The bunker's bar and nightclub are perhaps the most remarkable. It's where war-weary German sailors could kick back and enjoy drinks and entertainment. When you consider the average survival rate of a German submariner was six weeks, this may have been one of the last moments of joy they'd experience.

To lighten the oppressive atmosphere, two renowned interior decorators, Cher and Mon, came to paint a series of whimsical nautical murals on the bunker's walls and bulkheads, which visitors can still enjoy today.

The bunker remained in use until the city's liberation in 1945, after which it was sealed and forgotten. Hotel owner Jean-Luc Labour rediscovered it in 1982 during the hotel's redevelopment and opened it as the Rochelais Museum of the Last War from 1984 to 1994.

The hotel has since been demolished and replaced by apartments. The bunker was similarly redeveloped in 2012 and opened to the public in May 2013 as an important reminder of La Rochelle's wartime history.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/le-bunker-de-la-rochelle

Parco Naturale Regionale di Gianola e Monte di Scauri in Formia, Italy

3:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/parco-naturale-di-gianola-monte-scauri

Overlooking Mamurra's villa and baths.

Hidden away in the Lazio region of Italy, about 50 miles north of Naples, the Gianola and Monte di Scauri Regional Park stretches across 292 stunning hectares. Managed by the Riviera di Ulisse Park Authority, the body that governs other nearby Atlas Obscura locations such as the Villa of Tiberius, this park is home to many ancient Roman ruins that few tourists know about.

Among its notable sites is a remarkable seaside villa, dating back to around 50 BC and believed to belong to the Roman military officer Mamurra who served under Julius Caesar.

Visitors can also explore the evocative Grotta della Janara, a staircase adorned with a barrel vault reminiscent of Sardinia's Domus de Janas, and the remnants of Porticciolo Romano, a small Roman port.

Scattered across the landscape are five coastal towers: the ruins of Torre di Gianola and Torre Fico, alongside Torre Foce and Torre dei Mulini, which, though integrated into private properties, remain strikingly visible. The majestic Torre di Scauri, perched atop Monte d'Oro, offers breathtaking views of Minturno and the coastline.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/parco-naturale-di-gianola-monte-scauri

The Euston Tap in London, England

2:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-euston-tap

This pub was once Euston Station.

Some have called it Britain’s greatest case of cultural vandalism. In 1837, work was completed on Euston Grove, the country’s first inter-city train station, which connected London with points north. Three years later, after Queen Victoria’s inauguration, the station embarked on a significant expansion, which came to include a massive waiting hall, the world’s first railway hotels, and a 70-foot tall, free-standing entablatured Doric propylaeum—the largest arch of its type ever built. 

Euston Station, as it came to be known, was considered one of the finest examples of Victorian train station architecture. The station was also home to the world’s first pneumatic postal system, a series of underground tubes that delivered mail across London. It continued to function until 1962, when in a controversial and much-opposed decision, it was demolished and rebuilt in a bland contemporary style. 

All that remains today of the original station are two of the former lodging houses, Portland stone structures inscribed with the names of rail destinations. Today, one of these is home to the Euston Tap. The pub serves around 20 kegs and up to seven casks, which include a “heavy dose” of Czech and German beers and a cider on constant rotation. There’s an upstairs seating area as well as an expansive patio, and customers include locals, train commuters and beer nerds. The Euston Tap used to span the opposite lodge as well, but at press time, it was not open.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-euston-tap

Vaulty Towers in London, England

11:00 AM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/vaulty-towers

Vaulty Towers has the vibe of a DIY space.

Located in London’s Waterloo theatrer district, this pub is owned and operated by the same people as the underground (literally in this case, as it exists directly beneath Waterloo Station) art space, The Vaults. 

After a performance’s run is over, stage props and sets, lighting elements and costumes make their way to the pub, where they find a new life as unconventional interior design. Fancy a pint while sitting in a crescent moon? Want to sip your cider in a mini tree house? Prefer your lager in the Cave of Wonders? Vaulty Towers offers some of the quirkiest drinking perches in London.

These design elements are swapped out every six months or so, and even the graffiti-like exterior occasionally gets repainted. Vaulty Towers can also boast eight taps, a cask ale, and a decent selection of ciders, cocktails on tap, and a basement-level bar that hosts quiz nights, DJ sessions, stand-up comedy and other events.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/vaulty-towers

The Lincoln Monument in Wabash, Indiana

1:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lincoln-monument-wabash-indiana

Lincoln overlooking the town of Wabash, IN

There is no record of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, ever visiting Wabash, Indiana, either as president or when he lived in Indiana between 1816 and 1830. From the age of seven to 21, Lincoln resided in Spencer County, Indiana, in southern Indiana, about 240 miles from Wabash in the northern portion of the state. Yet a bronze statue of The Great Emancipator stands on the courthouse lawn in Wabash, Indiana.

Wabash native Alexander New had the statue commissioned in memory of his parents, Isaac and Henrietta New. The statue was donated to the city of Wabash in 1932, where it still stands.

The sculptor for the piece was Charles Keck of New York City. His architectural sculptures, monuments, and memorials number in the dozens and are in cities throughout the United States, including New York City, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Kansas City, Newark, Oakland, and tiny Wabash.

A few feet from the Wabash Lincoln statue is a plaque noting that on March 31, 1880, Wabash became the first electrically lit city. Not too bad for a city with a population of only 3,800 people in the 1880 United States census.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lincoln-monument-wabash-indiana

Portuguese Bell at Menavali Ghat in Menawali, India

12:00 PM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/portuguese-bell-at-menavali-ghat

Just north of Mumbai is the small town of Vasai, a former Portuguese territory once called Bassein. In 1739, the Battle of Vasai, or the Battle of Bassein, was fought here between Maratha and Portuguese forces.

The Maratha military commander and statesman Chimaji Appa, brother of the legendary general Bajirao Peshwa I, led the Maratha army. After racking up several victories against the Portuguese, Chimaji Appa's forces laid siege to the Portuguese fort of Vasai.

Chimaji Appa's army was formidable: According to Portuguese sources, he commanded almost 100,000 troops, including 4,000 soldiers who knew how to lay mines, 25,000 cavalry, 5,000 camels, and 50 elephants.

On May 1, 1739, Chimaji Appa swiftly started hammering the Portuguese fort. He had mines laid around its walls, and despite Portuguese efforts, Chimaji Appa won the ensuing battle. On May 23, the Maratha flag flew over the town, which had been under Portuguese control for more than 200 years. 

Following the battle, Chimaji Appa’s forces took many church bells from the Portuguese stronghold as war trophies. These bells were later installed at several Hindu temples across the region, many of which can still be seen today. 

One such bell was installed at Menavali Ghat near the town of Wai, around 140 miles (230 km) south of Mumbai. Menavali Ghat has two temples, one dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the other (Meneshwar Temple) dedicated to Lord Shiva.

In front of Meneshwar Temple, a stone canopy houses the Portuguese bell. The bell was made from an alloy of five different metals and weighs as much as an adult polar bear, around 1,400 pounds (650 kg).

On the bell, a bas-relief of Mary carrying the infant Jesus Christ can still be seen. Inscribed on the bell is its year of casting, 1707, and below that is another inscription.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/portuguese-bell-at-menavali-ghat

El Pozo de Hunzahúa (Hunzahúa Well) in Tunja, Colombia

10:00 AM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/el-pozo-de-hunzahua-well

The Pozo de Hunzahua

By the time the Spanish encountered the Muiscas, an Indigenous people from Colombia’s central Andes, the conquistadors had already subjugated both the Aztec and Inca empires.

Between 1537 and 1540, the Spanish employed a similar divide-and-conquer strategy with the Muisca. The Muisca’s northern capital and trading center was Hunza, now known as Tunja, about 83 miles (130 km) northeast of Bogotá. Although the Muisca were a looser confederation than the Aztecs and Incas, they were bound together by a common language, social structure, calendar, and mythology. 

It's here at El Pozo de Hunzahúa (the Hunzahúa Well) that a steamy Muisca legend is said to have taken place. In the 15th century, the Muisca Chief Hunzahúa fell in love with his sister Noncetá and the pair traveled to the province of Chipataes, ostensibly to buy cotton. But while there, the siblings consummated their relationship.

After returning to Hunza, their mother noticed Noncetá's pregnancy and started beating her with a sana (a stick used to stir chicha, a traditional corn beverage). The enraged mother accidentally smashed a large pot containing corn beer, spilling the contents, and supposedly creating Hunzahúa Well. 

During the Spanish conquest, another Muisca leader, Quemuenchatocha, feared the Spanish would seize his gold and ordered his people to throw all their riches into the well. But don't bother jumping in to look for the loot: A Spaniard named Jerónimo Donato de Rojas drained the well to look for the gold only to find mud and dirt.

Today when someone from Tunja loses something, especially money, they say, "It fell into Donato's well."

In addition to the well, the park contains a walking path interspersed with tiled monuments of Muisca-themed art and explanations of their lives, laws, and legends. The park also includes examples of Muisca huts.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/el-pozo-de-hunzahua-well

Jimmie Rodgers Museum in Meridian, Mississippi

9:00 AM

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jimmie-rodgers-museum

The Jimmie Rodgers Museum is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the quirky, yodeling musician known by many as "The Singing Brakeman" and even "The Father of Country Music."

Jimmie was born James Charles Rodgers to Eliza Bozeman and Aaron Rodgers, a railroad foreman, in 1897 in Meridian, Mississippi. Growing up, Jimmie would skip school to watch vaudeville performances, which introduced him to the excitement of showbiz.

After winning a talent contest at the local theater, Jimmie ran away to tour with a medicine show, a traveling entertainment act that would sell "miracle cures." Eventually, Jimmie's father brought him back and got him a job as a railroad waterboy.

Jimmie nonetheless found opportunities to perform, picking up railway work songs and banjo playing from African-American laborers, all while slowly rising the ranks and becoming a brakeman.

A tuberculosis diagnosis forced Rodgers to reevaluate what direction he wanted his life to go, and he decided to pursue music full-time.

Rodgers would record two songs during the legendary 1927 Bristol sessions in Bristol, Tennessee, but his big break was recording his original "Blue Yodel" in Camden, New Jersey.

Rodgers went on to tour the country and recorded and performed with acts as diverse as Louis Armstrong, the Carter Family, and Will Rogers.

Rodgers's health continued to deteriorate and in 1933, he fell into a coma and passed away.

The Jimmie Rodgers Museum has kept the legacy of the Singing Brakeman alive, showcasing some of Jimmie's costumes, letters, and guitar, along with memorabilia of his music and performances.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jimmie-rodgers-museum

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