Resurrecting the Flower Crowns of Old Ukrainian Weddings

For centuries, soon-to-be-wed Ukrainian women sported beautiful wedding wreaths made by their closest friends. However, with the rise of communism in the 20th century, the practice nearly disappeared. Only as Ukrainian independence and identity have come under threat in recent years has this colorful tradition gotten a second wind. 

Test Your AO Places Knowledge!

Shoes on the Danube Promenade

During WWII, Nazis killed approximately 20,000 Hungarian Jews along the banks of the Danube River. Before being shot, they had to remove their shoes at gunpoint. This haunting tribute in Budapest consists of 60 pairs of 1940s-style shoes, true to life in size and detail, sculpted out of iron.

Eat, Drink, and Time Travel in Virginia

Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown aren’t just names in your history book; they’re places you can still walk, eat, and explore. Try dishes straight from Martha Washington’s cookbook at Chowning’s Tavern, step into the cave where Cornwallis allegedly hid before surrender, and watch artisans craft glass as they did in the 1600s.