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'A New Broom'
Cevapčići at Sarajevo ‘84
Sarajevo ‘84
In this salad, rice gets topped with pinches of toasted coconut, dried fish, finely-sliced herbs and vegetables, bean sprouts, a tiny knot of noodles, crushed black pepper and dried chili. 
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Cevapčići at Sarajevo ‘84
Sarajevo ‘84
In this salad, rice gets topped with pinches of toasted coconut, dried fish, finely-sliced herbs and vegetables, bean sprouts, a tiny knot of noodles, crushed black pepper and dried chili. 
Thai-Islam Phochana
With fat chunks of crab meat swimming in a lush coconut milk curry, it's no wonder this dish is so popular.
Raya
Meet boba tea's ancestral cousin.
Kanomwaan Pakee
Order the dry curry with pork spareribs and green banana.
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This depiction of a skull-faced candymaker was a direct response to the Bradford poisonings.
5 Macabre and Mysterious Stories About Candy
The food of southern Thailand is immensely diverse and delicious.
Gastro Obscura’s 12 Essential Places to Eat in Southern Thailand
Vanishing hitchhiker legends are just the latest version of a folktale that may go back millennia—and continues to spread and evolve.
The Vanishing Hitchhiker Legend Is an Ancient Tale That Keeps Evolving
The Cù Sith, an otherworldly hound of Scottish folklore, and its Irish counterpart the Cù Sidhe are sometimes described as green, the color associated with magic—and misfortune.
Death as a Dog: The Cù Sith of Scotland

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Delhi and Rajasthan: Colors of India

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The spectral, terrifying dog of Scottish folklore has inspired many a nightmare for centuries—and likely for millennia.

By Emma Cieslik October 9, 2024

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Hidden Wonders

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The ghost forest in the fog.
Place of the Day

Neskowin Ghost Forest

Neskowin, Oregon

The eerie remnants of an ancient forest were hidden under the sand for centuries.

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  • Chiesa di Santa Croce detta "Dei Morti"

    Canneto sull'Oglio, Italy

    Chiesa di Santa Croce detta 'Dei Morti'

    Photographs of the faces of the town's dead cover the walls of this small Italian church.

    Avatar image for Boskizzi
    Added By
    Max Boschini
  • Looking down the Gorge from the footbridge at its head.

    Tuttle, Idaho

    Malad Gorge

    Some 46,000 years ago, a volcanic eruption led to a flooding event that carved this short canyon with steep vertical walls.

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    slgwv
  • The grave of the Hel-horse.

    Roskilde, Denmark

    Grave of the Hel-Horse

    According to legend, this is the burial place of a mythical three-legged death omen horse.

    Avatar image for Johan SWE
    Added By
    Johan Husberg
  • Ballasalla, Isle of Man

    Hassal Grave

    Mysterious chains and iron stakes adorn this strange grave, with no explanation.

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    Added By
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  • Odoriba means "dance floor" and "staircase landing."

    Yokohama, Japan

    Odoriba Station

    This subway station is named after a local legend about supernatural dancing cats.

    Avatar image for Fred Cherrygarden
    Added By
    Fred Cherrygarden
  • Mound House, Nevada

    VW Beetle Spider

    On the side of Highway 50 East, between Carson City and Dayton, Nevada, sits a giant metal spider made from a vintage Volkswagen Beetle.

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    Added By
    Andrea Leigh
  • Entrance of the cemetery

    Baguio, Philippines

    Cemetery of Negativism

    A place where you can symbolically rid yourself of negative thoughts and attitudes.

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    Jon Opol
  • Sculpture of the mother, the daughter murdered by the Klötzelmonk on Fleischerstrasse in Görlitz

    Görlitz, Germany

    The Klötzelmönch's Worried Mother Statue

    This bust remembers the haunting local legend of a murderous monk.

    T
    Added By
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  • Manchester, England

    'A New Broom'

    This statue of an everyday cleaning tool sits proud upon a plinth in Manchester's coolest quarter.

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    Added By
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  • Cevapčići at Sarajevo ‘84

    Piran, Slovenia

    Sarajevo ‘84

    This delicious Bosnian barbecue restaurant celebrates the diverse cuisine of Slovenia.

    Avatar image for Sarah Durn
    Added By
    Sarah Durn
  • In this salad, rice gets topped with pinches of toasted coconut, dried fish, finely-sliced herbs and vegetables, bean sprouts, a tiny knot of noodles, crushed black pepper and dried chili. 

    Yala, Thailand

    Thai-Islam Phochana

    Start your day with sticky rice sweets and aromatic curries at this classic Thai-Muslim breakfast spot.

    Avatar image for Austin Bush
    Added By
    Austin Bush
  • Pune, India

    Taljai Mansion

    The crumbling ruins of an old stone mansion sit atop a hill in the middle of Pune.

    Avatar image for Vivek Gadre
    Added By
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  • With fat chunks of crab meat swimming in a lush coconut milk curry, it's no wonder this dish is so popular.

    Phuket Town, Thailand

    Raya

    Feast on coconut crab curry at one of Thailand’s only outposts of Baba cuisine.

    Avatar image for Austin Bush
    Added By
    Austin Bush
  • Just a few of the quirky mailboxes along Wilmot's letterbox trail.

    Wilmot, Australia

    Wilmot Novelty Letterbox Trail

    In Tasmania's "Valley of Views," dozens of novelty mailboxes add a quirky element to the landscape.

    Avatar image for Lauren Breedlove
    Added By
    Lauren Breedlove
  • The Vulcan bridge

    Vulcan, West Virginia

    Vulcan Bridge

    This rural bridge gave the government of West Virginia a red scare.

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  • Meet boba tea's ancestral cousin.

    Phattalung, Thailand

    Kanomwaan Pakee

    Make a beeline to this rural outpost for one of Thailand’s rarest desserts.

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Vanishing hitchhiker legends are just the latest version of a folktale that may go back millennia—and continues to spread and evolve.

ghosts

The Vanishing Hitchhiker Legend Is an Ancient Tale That Keeps Evolving

The classic creepy story—a driver offers a lift to a stranger who is not of this world—has deep roots and a long reach.

Read more
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Written By
Mark Hay
October 10, 2024
  • Edward Gorey in 1977, on the set he designed for a stage production of Dracula on Broadway.

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    Getting to Know Edward Gorey

    By Paula Span

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    Was ‘Dracula’ the Biggest Flying Creature Ever?

    By Andrew Coletti

  • Bottles range from bourbon to whiskey to gin.

    military history

    The Return of 'The Squadron Bottle,' a San Francisco Tradition

    By Anne Ewbank

  • The wendigo of North America's Great Lakes region is a symbol of both the desperate season of winter and boundless human greed.

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    The Wendigo and 6 Other Ancient Monsters From Indigenous Folklore

    By Gemma Tarlach

  • Caraway and candied citrus flavor the buttery sponge.

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    Welsh Sheep-Shearing Cake Is a Forgotten Pastoral Pleasure

    By Jamie Ellis

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    The Extremely Enchanting, Totally Perplexing, Possibly Never-Ending Quest for the Golden Owl

    By Phil Hoad

  • Archival photo of the staircase inside Loretto Chapel.

    architecture

    The Enduring Mystery of the Loretto Chapel Staircase

    Sponsored by Visit Santa Fe

This depiction of a skull-faced candymaker was a direct response to the Bradford poisonings.

candy

5 Macabre and Mysterious Stories About Candy

From unsolved candy crimes to treats eaten only at funerals, these stories are bittersweet.

Read more
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Written By
Samantha Chong
October 11, 2024
  • The food of southern Thailand is immensely diverse and delicious.

    food

    Gastro Obscura’s 12 Essential Places to Eat in Southern Thailand

    By Austin Bush

  • Vanishing hitchhiker legends are just the latest version of a folktale that may go back millennia—and continues to spread and evolve.

    ghosts

    The Vanishing Hitchhiker Legend Is an Ancient Tale That Keeps Evolving

    By Mark Hay

  • People visit the beach in in Fort Myers, Florida, as storm clouds gather ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival.

    disasters

    As Hurricane Milton Approaches, Communities Repair and Prepare

    By Atlas Obscura

  • Bottles range from bourbon to whiskey to gin.

    military history

    The Return of 'The Squadron Bottle,' a San Francisco Tradition

    By Anne Ewbank

  • Archival photo of the staircase inside Loretto Chapel.

    architecture

    The Enduring Mystery of the Loretto Chapel Staircase

    Sponsored by Visit Santa Fe

  • This year, longtime Massachusetts corn maze Mike's Maze has a circus theme.

    mazes

    Inside the Weird World of Corn Mazes

    By Roxanne Hoorn

  • Fruit, herbs, and flowers can make ice both tasty and pretty.

    food

    Fancy Ice Is Art in Your Glass

    By Anne Ewbank

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