OUTLOOK

Leather Tanneries in Fez: Rainbow palette of the East

Ancient Fez medina is firmly holding time in a criss-crossing maze of tiny alleyways and picturesque shops. The medieval town of craftsmen does not recognize modern technology, however, it is not difficult to trace a full production of cute handbag with embossed lettering. The leather for souvenir is produced there, in courtyards, and at a reasonable cost a tannery owner would reveal details of folk art with a millennial history.

21.02.2022 | travel, Morocco

On the catwalk: Germany

A characteristic feature of the traditional national German costume has always been considered as the combination of its absolute identity and comfort. Perhaps that is why nowadays one can admire the national clothes of this country not only on various holidays somewhere in the village or in history books but also on the streets of big cities.

15.02.2022 | Germany, on catwalk

Step over threshold: The magical art of the huichol

Dazzling flashes of ancient knowledge manifested in colourful shimmering beads and in elaborated yarn mosaics by Huichol Indians, captivate the imagination calling for an endless journey through branches of the world tree. Spiritual images take on flesh in intricate ornaments that accompany a Mexican peasant throughout his life.

10.02.2022 | art, Mexico

Cockney: derisive British dialect

Strange nicknames for items known for everybody; quite famous usage of ’ain’t’ form instead of ‘am not’ as well as disappearing letter h in several words are the features of British dialect cockney considered as picturesque language that amazes Englishmen with its sarcastic nature and provocation.

05.02.2022 | Great Britain, interesting

This is a real service! Japanese taxi

The first thing every tourist shall learn in a country is a transport system. Very often it seems to be complicated and confusing, and it takes weeks or even months to make head or tail of it. OUTLOOK reader Natalia Usenko visited Japan and is sharing her impressions about the most comfortable and safest transport in the world.

03.02.2022 | Japan, oddities

Unforgettable Tschäggättä: Horrors in Lötschental Valley

In February Switzerland changes beyond recognition: reckless power of pre-Lent carnivals, insatiable gluttony and cat’s choirs of Guggenmusik rush into the streets. Only evil spirits are kind of weak – same glamorous vampires and emaciated zombies. Want it to become really scary? Head to Lötschental Valley to celebrate Tschäggättä: infernal characters from Alpine folklore will haunt you in your dreams!

03.02.2022 | Switzerland

What do they eat: Algeria

OUTLOOK is pleased to present our "most delicious section", the texts of which will be interesting not only for gourmets and chefs but also for those who like to keep up and learn new stuff. Today we’ll have a look at Algerian kitchens and tell about traditional and most popular dishes from this great country.

01.02.2022 | Algeria, cuisine of the world, what do they eat

Amazons from tribe mosuo: Conservation of feminism in the shadow of Himalayas

Composers of antiutopias predict hundreds of sorrows to the people of the future who are from times to times forbidden to celebrate weddings, however, it seems, everything is not so terrible. In Chinese province Yun Nan near the foot of Himalayas the matriarch tribe mosuo resides that is not familiar with the concept of marriage at all.

01.02.2022 | traditions, China

What do they eat: Portugal

Having been to Portugal, at the very edge of Europe, the OUTLOOK could not help paying attention to the local cuisine. Read below about gastronomical predilections of residents and tourists of this once one of the greatest empires in the world.

26.01.2022 | Portugal, what do they eat

Yodel - Music of the Austrian mountains

Austrian tour operators launched an unusual touristic tourdesigned for fans of singing style called yodel. Hikers wander through the Ziller Valley, a broad trail narrows opening the way for only the most avid travellers, then track leads upwards. Tourists look into the interactive station shaped as a giantsonorous walk-in cowbell, then they go around thelargest alpine horn and head to place...

22.01.2022 | music, traditions, culture, Austria

Amsterdam: Bike capital of the world

Telling about transport means which became a symbol of some city, it would be an amiss to forget about bikes in Amsterdam. Anyone who has ever been in the Dutch capital, will never forget neither countless cyclists hurrying in swarms through the streets, nor the magnificent infrastructure that contributed to a bike as a safe, environmentally friendly, healthy and the easiest mode of transport.

19.01.2022 | Netherlands

Your breakfast, Sir! How people start their day around the world

A mini toast, a slice of cheese and a sip of strong coffee. "That is not a buffet!" a waiter will pronounce indignantly, looking at the disgruntled tourist’s face. The generous Ukrainian soul cannot understand how locals manage to eat their full with that. Therefore, before going to a new country, you need to know exactly whether in the evening you should prepare a couple of sandwiches to indulge them in the morning,...

18.01.2022 | traditions, oddities

Besides Grand Bazaar and Mosques: Museum Face of Istanbul

A museum tour on a trip is most often associated with groups of people, dull exhibits, and a feeling of missing out on significant “outdoor” landmarks. Sure, that is not true, especially when you are in such a unique city in every aspect as Istanbul, where museums strike with their concepts just as well.

17.01.2022 | Turkey

Malanka and Vasyl winter fun: Carnival in Ukrainian style

The New Year in Ukraine did not always start with a Christmas tree, and instead of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden, guests were waiting fora minx girl - Malanka and motor-boy Vasyl accompanied by the retinue. All the follies were out of hand: the ridiculed riddles carried a sacred content, dictated by the logic of the myth of the duel of spring and winter.

13.01.2022 | traditions, Ukraine

Christmas Eve and What’s to Follow

Christmas arrives with a warm overjacket on its shoulders. At night it brings warm light of the first evening star and in the morning it wakes you up with shine of white but warm sun. If my great-grandmonther’s grandmother had been asked about her Christmas feelings, I believe, her words would have been identical to mine. Because together with a bowl of kutia,...

06.01.2022 | holiday, traditions, Ukraine

Taxi in New York Style

Next ‘character’ of our cycle about symbolic means of public transport is yellow cab of New York. It is impossible to imagine the Big Apple and especially its centre, Manhattan, without those bright and incredibly handy cars. Seemingly, there are more “checkers” than people.

05.01.2022 | USA, oddities

Eskimo igloo: It is easy as a pie to build castles in ...snow

A little son came to his father and suggested to run away from mom and granny to the North Pole? Now, do not indulge into tragic speeches of severe frosts, pitch darkness of the polar night and hungry polar bears! Give a conspiracy wink to a little brave one, and give him a real man's job for his school winter holidays that is to learn how to build an igloo, night shelter in ever-frost lands.

28.12.2021 | traditions, Finland, Canada

Indian village Kodhini: the unraveled mystery of twins

In the world there is an unusual place where the biggest number of twins are born. Although at first glance it looks like a mystical coincidence, statistics makes you believe in miracles. The Indian state of Kerala can boast of a village where unusual things happen. Kodhini is the place with more twins than anywhere else in the world. Actually, there is almost no explanation for this.

20.12.2021 | travel, India

Handicraft: persian carpets

In those days when the Persian soldiers were second to none, and both the Roman Empire and the Arabian Peninsula were conquered by their power, skilful fingers of winner nation craftswomen created their first masterpiece. The carpet called The Springtime passed into history as the most precious of all time. It symbolized powerful rule of the Persians, and its beauty told about the divine origin of the king Khosrow I.

19.12.2021 | art, traditions, Iran

Don’t break the tongue: The hardest languages in the world

It is said, the easier it is, the better we feel, however, is it always like that? We know that not all the nations follow this principle. OUTLOOK has found out the strangest, toughest and hard in articulation international languages and would like to share it with the readers.

14.12.2021 | traditions, history, culture

What do they eat: Rome’s cuisine

OUTLOOK often tells about the kitchens of the peoples around the world, but when it comes to Italy, writing about the country should be a crime. Each of its twenty regions has its own culinary world with the subtleties and specialties. Let the title of gastronomic capital of Italy be Bologna, its official capital - Rome, too, has something to boast about. We are telling you what is remarkable about Roman cuisine...

09.12.2021 | Italy, traditions, what do they eat

Borders cannot make harm: The most famous enclaves of the world

Today OUTLOOK travels along the cities and countries that are considered as the most interesting from the point of view of geography and administrative management. Moreover, they are enclaves as they are located within the territories of other states.

03.12.2021 | Italy, Germany, travel, India, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Bangladesh, Marocco

On the catwalk: Norway

Full set of Norwegian national outfit can be traded for a pretty immodest car. Offspring of Vikings habitually create their bunads, decorated with elaborate embroideries, only manually thus investing a lost of effort and patience in it. Sure enough, they dont wear helmets with horns anymore, but their folk dress still doesnt lack splendor.

02.12.2021 | Norway, on catwalk

Kabuki: thorny path of flower

Traditional Japanese kabuki theatre has always been a mystery to the European mentality: only an expert on the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun can understand a play without guide’s tips. The word kabuki is sometimes translated as "the art of singing and dancing". Why not an operetta? The essence of performance is not confined to musical presentation only...

20.11.2021 | Japan, art, traditions

Sacred animals of the Incas

Our "Peruvian cycle" is replenished with the story of the most revered animals in Peru. Being the link between the present and the past, they play an important role in the life of this nation. Wise ancestors of the modern Peruvians, the ancient Incas, were living in harmony with all life that surrounded them.

19.11.2021 | traditions, history, Peru

On the Move. Street food from around the world. Part 2

Do you happen to get hungry? That is great as we go on with our story about the most popular street food from around the world. It’s freshly cooked - fall to, you guys! Let's start with the South Asian countries, namely Singapore - seafood-rich in vitamins and minerals occupy a key place in the diet of residents ...

12.11.2021 | traditions, food, oddities, Israel, China, Netherlands, Brazil, Canada, Singapore, cuisine of the world, Kenya

Kyrgyz yurt: House in the Celestial mountains

The great importance of a yurt for the Kyrgyz people is evident from their national flag: a round dome of a traditional home embraced by effulgent solar disc, proudly flaunts in a red background. Although usual life of nomads has been transformed to brick houses, a yurt still has an important place in their daily life, hiding under its tent echoes of history and carefully preserving old traditions.

09.11.2021 | the Kyrgyz Republic

The citizens of Otavalo valley. Useful Indians

They didn’t get as much problems from conquistadors as other native people of Latin America had. The rumors touched the interesting fact how the inhabitants of valley Otavalo quickly reached royal chambers. They also were masterful in getting the cloth from wool of lamas and vicunas created by the Indians. Spanish men put a render fee to the high art while Otavalo citizens were called as ‘useful Indians’.

06.11.2021 | Ecuador

On the Move. Street food from around the world

Experienced tourists believe that one of the best sure-fire ways to quickly tune into the beat of another culture is to try local food. In order not to be at a loss when choosing dishes and save precious time for spiritual food, OUTLOOK gives you selective advice on street gastronomy from seven spots of the globe.

02.11.2021 | USA, Germany, traditions, food, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, Morocco, Ghana

Rice fields: Grains of unbelievable beauty

- Do you want to try some rice? - such a question is greeted by guests in China. And if the owners are also farmers, they can invite you on an unusual excursion and show you the masterpiece of natural art. The grass which we often eat without thinking about its aesthetics, at the time of growing resembles a blanket woven from multi-colored rags ...

01.11.2021 | Japan, art, history, China, Indonesia

Happiness moves in mysterious way: Places to make wishes in Latvia

Trip to Latvia breaks the chain of mundanity, awakes secret fantasies which usually remain dormant in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Wandering between the centuries-old pine trees, fresh Baltic breeze languidly runs over strings in wait for off-beat adventure. Dreams do come true – you just need to know a right place to make a wish.

31.10.2021 | traditions, tourism, Latvia

Chinese sugar painting: Art from a ladle

Flowers and trees, animals and birds, dragons and fairytale characters – to put it short, anything that may come to your head can turn into an object of edible art there. Amazing technique of painting with hot sugar is possessed by craftsmen from Sichuan province. Paintings performed in almost caramel can be neither “edited”, nor painted over.

30.10.2021 | art, China

Brand history: Swiss knife

There is probably no man on Earth who wouldn’t have a Swiss knife or its look-alike. And though the idea of a pocket knife may have originated nowhere near Switzerland, it gained global fame thank to a Swiss Karl Elsener and is now associated unbreakably with his motherland and perfect Swiss quality. OUTLOOK tells the story of the most famous and popular knife of the world.

29.10.2021 | Switzerland, brand history

Dirty-faced aristocrats

Profession of a chimney-sweep has recently entered the list of the most rear occupations in the world. And as far back as some hundred years ago almost every European citizen was able to tell a lot of interesting things about these guys doomed to be covered in smear. We didn’t invent a time machine but we managed to get some facts about representatives of this vanishing trade.

21.10.2021 | oddities

Women's adornments in India: Sacred meaning

Upon hearing word combination “Hindu woman” an image of a beautiful woman wearing sari and definitely with numerous adornments and pictures on her body emerges in our imagination. Where does passion for body decoration come from in national traditions of this people?

20.10.2021 | traditions, India

Fight like a woman. The fight club of flying cholit

The free fight has not feminine face. The good girl could smile in a pretty way and care colorful dress but not strike out wildly. But in the fierce Ands such gentle flowers do not grow. The true Bolivian cholit will be quick on the uptake, and it is able to fill in if necessary. But on Sunday, having gathered the starched skirts, she will desperately go to fight

08.10.2021 | traditions, Bolivia

What do they eat: Albania

Flavorous Çömlek, refreshing Tarator and warming Skanderbeg – what is it that we’re talking about? If Balkan countries are far from you and you didn’t spend your latest vacation by Adriatic Sea, today we’ll fill in the gaps and invite you to Albania but not for a simple tour but to the kitchen so if you manage to come back without extra kilograms, you can be safely awarded a self-mastery medal.

07.10.2021 | Albania, what do they eat

Boat instead of shopping basket: Famous floating markets

Stores, shopping malls, markets - all these places are an integral part of daily goings-on of almost every person on our planet. It would seem there is nothing special about them: they are all alike, just goods and prices vary depending on country or city. In fact, it is not quite true since some markets are only accessible via waterways. Our today’s story is about them.

16.09.2021 | traditions, India, culture, Vietnam, Netherlands, Thailand, MYANMAR

Art of Tattoo: Mesmerizing Magic of On-body Drawings

Coin jar of history of this art accounts for about 6 thousand years. Notably, this currently popular trade owes its emergence to happenstance... A prehistoric man once noticed that after any natural colorant had gotten into a place of a burn or a cut, very lasting drawings stayed on skin.

11.09.2021 | art

Made In Sweden: Dalecarlian Horse

And since winged horses of Valkyries darted away to Valhalla forever, Dalecarlian horse has remained the guardian of Vikings’ traditions – painted folk toy, first mentioned in chronicles of 17th century. Dalecarlian horse serves as an amulet of non-touristic Sweden by saving from oblivion ancient fables and beliefs.

04.09.2021 | art, Sweden

Accompaying persons, please leave the train: the most interesting trains on planet

Despite ongoing development of air transport, many people across the Earth still love to travel by train for various reasons. Though the majority of passengers associate trains with a rather slow way to travel compared with airplanes, and are concerned with low comfort which can be still at the level of last century, reading through our selection below...

02.09.2021 | USA, travel, India, China, Scotland, Switzerland

What do they eat: Ukraine

Spoiled with home-made borshch, holubtsy and cotlets, we are under an illusion that we know Ukrainian cuisine like the tips of own fingers and there is nothing distinctive about it while in fact gastronomic heritage of our country is far richer than a grandma’s ingenuous menu. Time has come to recall original Ukrainian dishes that were undeservedly forgotten in the era of semi-cooked products and fast food.

24.08.2021 | Ukraine, what do they eat

World transport: Vertical Lisbon

Lisbon is one of the most beautiful and ancient cities in Europe, however, its territory is difficult for living and building due to its steep hilly terrain. Portuguese metropolis is situated on seven densely populated hills. That's why its hallmark is three funicular railroads and the elevator, without which tourists and residents would be much in trouble moving around the city.

16.08.2021 | travel, Portugal

Truth in grain or Polish style coffee

France, Italy and Venice - these names were chosen by foreigners for their restaurants, which gave a grounding for coffee biography of Poland. Residents of the country became one of the first in Eastern Europe gourmets who appreciated taste and flavor of the unusual drink. Only a few were aware of the fact that a new source of pleasure was produced from fruit of the tree once grown in Ethiopia in the wild.

14.08.2021 | world cuisine, Poland

On the catwalk: Argentina

Every people has its folklore heroes that both children and adults want to look like. In Argentina legendary gaucho are considered ones and their outfits nowadays are believed to be traditional costumes of the country.

21.07.2021 | on catwalk, República Argentina

Along the waves of time: historic Sailing vessels of Estonia

History of Estonia isn’t preserved in scrolls of parchment but in leaden chronicles of the North Sea. Winding coastline three thousand kilometers long has seen millions of sails starting with striped cloths of drakkars to nap-of-the-earth flight of clippers over the waves in the era of steam and electricity.

17.07.2021 | traditions, Estonia, craft

What do they eat: Latvia

It is commonly believed that Latvia is all about Riga’s seashore, ancient cozy cities and perfect climate. All of it is true, but somehow many forget local cuisine. Having visited the country, Outlook cannot but share a story of delicious and sometimes very unusual dishes.

16.07.2021 | Latvia, what do they eat

Kintsugi. Japanese art of restoration

The Japanese are one of those peoples who zealously respect the ancient traditions. They respect old age, being interested in ancestors and often know the family ancestry by heart. With such a worldview, it is not surprising that a unique technique for the restoration of kintsugi appeared exactly there. Read about it in OUTLOOK.

15.07.2021 | Japan, art

On the catwalk: Cuba

Perhaps, every person on the planet at least received the invitation at the ‘party in Cuban style’ that is not so simple as it seems from the first side. Today Outlook is trying to study in the key elements and features of ‘estilocubano’ that lives out its rebirth that is unknown which is count, and is still inspiring the designers all over the planet.

13.07.2021 | Cuba, on catwalk

Bajau: Seafarers of Southeast Asia

Small ethnic groupshave been always interesting for scientists and artists, who sought inspiration in their lifestyle. The Bajau - nomadic seafarers who formally can be correlated with Malaysia, are one of the most popular ethnic groups today.

07.07.2021 | traditions, society, Malaysia