Wonders of the World

Latest Episodes:

086 - Shwedagon Pagoda of Yangon and Shin Sawbu Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

Like a giant bell covered in gold, Shwedagon Pagoda lords over Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)'s skyline. Its story is much like Burma's: elusive, mysterious. Shin Sawbu was a princess of the southern kingdom of Hanthawaddy Pegu. Through an exciting life documented by practically nobody, she rose to become queen and then in retirement to bring the gold to the great pagoda.

In this episode, we attempt as best we can to piece together her story and we make a Burmese curry while we're at it.

Sources: Victoria and Albert Museum website Wikifreakingpedia Duguid, Naomi. Burma: Rivers of Flavor Lonely Planet Myanmar Insights Guide Myanmar

Photograph by Marcin Konsek / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

085 - The Registan of Samarkand and Ulugh Beg, the Astronomer-King Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

Ulugh Beg was the Astronomer King of Samarkand, who in one of the richest cities of the Silk Road, built a madrassa and observatory to chart the stars. Wonderful astronomer. Not much of a king. His madrassa though stands on, one of the three grand buildings of the Registan square.

Scott Chesworth of the Ancient World and Nadeem Ahmad of Eran ud Turan both visited Uzbekistan just before the pandemic, and they join us with tales of gorgeous tilework, empty museums, and more plov (Uzbek rice pilaf) than you can imagine.

Bradley, Chris. The Silk RoadCarter, Jamie. "The Tragic Story Of The Man Who Unlocked The Universe" in ForbesIbbotson, Sophie. Uzbekistan : the Bradt travel guideKrisciunas, Kevin. "Ulugh Beg's Zij," in H. B. Paksoy, ed., Central Asian Monuments. Manz, Beatrice Forbes. Power, Politics and Religion in Timurid IranWaugh, Daniel C. "Ulugh Beg and His Observatory" in Silk Road Seattle

Photograph by Euyasik, @Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

084 - The Duomo of Florence and the Birth of the Renaissance Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

It's the largest masonry dome ever built, its terracotta curves dominating the Florence skyline. The story of how that dome was built is the story of the birth of the Renaissance.

But the real story is that of the artists, the petty, bickering, intensely human geniuses: the secretive, bitter Filippo Brunelleschi and the social climbing, self-promoting Lorenzo Ghiberti, not to mention their friends like Donatello. Yes. That Donatello. They bicker and feud and bring Florence new perspectives.

Bry Rayburn of the Pontifacts Podcast comes by to talk about her favorite city in the whole world. We share our experiences and love of stracciatella gelato. Plus bistecca alla fiorentina.

PS - Despite this being my longest episode, I still completely failed to mention that the name of the cathedral is Santa Maria del Fiore: Saint Mary of the Flower, which sounds so nice. So there you go.

Sources: Hollingsworth, Mary. The Family Medici: The Hidden History of the Medici Dynasty King, Ross. Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture Perry, Susannah. Fodor's 25 Best: Florence Rick Steves Italy 2020 Walker, Paul Robert. The Feud That Sparked the Renaissance: How Brunelleschi and Ghiberti Changed the Art World

Photograph by Grueslayer @Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

083 - The Karst Islands of Halong Bay and Lê Lợi May 28, 2021

Show notes

It's one of the most glorious seascapes on earth: thousands of limestone pillars rising from the bay, clothed in jungle green. Listener Emma Browning, who was literally just there, shares her experiences cruising among the islands and even shares the real-life sounds of the bay.

When I say Vietnam, most Americans expect an episode on the US-Vietnam War of the 1960s, but no, I'm going to discuss another superpower's invasion of the land of the Viet and their subsequent failure against Vietnamese resistance and guerilla warfare.

Yes, the Yongle Emperor is getting Robert McNamara'd into submission, this time by Vietnamese nobleman turned freedom fighter Lê Lợi There are magic swords, marketing guys with water metaphors, and so much more.

Finally, we get my personal story of Vietnamese catfish. And in honor of that, I give you cá kho tộ, catfish caramelized in a clay pot. It is maybe my favorite thing to eat ever.

Sources: Filek-Gibson, Dana. Vietnam (Moon Guide) Goscha, Christopher E. Vietnam: A New History Kiernan, Ben. Viet Nam Stewart, Iain. Lonely Planet Vietnam Viet Vision Travel "Vietnamese Legend: The Lake of the Restored Sword"

Photograph and audio samples courtesy of Emma Browning

082 - The Forbidden City of Beijing and the Voyages of Zheng He May 13, 2021

Show notes

It's unfathomably huge. The Forbidden City, a city within the city, and the Yongle emperor's crowning achievement, is almost too big to comprehend. 8,886 rooms, nearly 135 football fields in area, it's huge.

The Yongle Emperor also sent out Zheng He and the Ming Treasure Fleet to exert China's superpower influence across Asia and even to Africa.

Chris Stewart from the History of China podcast returns to talk about the Forbidden City and the great naval voyages, while listener Jesse Oppenheim returns to discuss visiting the palace as well as sharing some Beijing taste treats, like Mao's favorite braised pork belly.

Sources:

Bedford, Donald. China (DK Eyewitness) Fodor's Essential China Haw, Stephen G. A Traveller's History of China Humphreys, Andrew. Top 10 Beijing Keay, John. China: a History Wood, Michael. The Story of China: The Epic History of A World Power From the Middle Kingdom to Mao and the China Dream

Photograph by Asadal

Bonus - The Floating Rock Gardens of Ryloth May 10, 2021

Show notes

A Star Wars special!

For May 4, 2021, I contributed a mini-episode for the No Redeeming Qualities podcast's annual Star Wars Day special. To spare you having to listen to 30 minutes of grown men complaining about the sequel trilogy, I'm offering this to you.

In the early days of the Clone Wars, separatist forces were on their way to conquer Ryloth, an important trading point in the outer rim. One man would lead the Republic garrison: Jedi Master Ima-Gun Di.

While on Ryloth, Master Di would visit the remarkable Floating Rock Garden, a uniquely powerful place, where the force of the wind makes the impossible real. And if you're on Ryloth, only the best Gruuvan Shaal Kebabs will do.

Sources: Star Wars: Clone Wars, episode 3.3 - "Supply Lines" Monroe-Cassel, Chelsea and Marc Sumerak. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook The Holocron wiki for Star Wars Combine online simulation

081 - The Temple of Heaven of Beijing and the Yongle Emperor Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

A majestic pavilion crowned in blue, the Temple of Heaven stands as one of the crowning architectural triumphs of the Yongle Emperor, a man responsible for three wonders.

In this episode, we trace the origins of the Yongle Emperor. Chris Stewart from the History of China podcast appears to take us on a whirlwind adventure that took his father from being an orphaned beggar in Anhui to emperor of all China. In the process, we discuss his rather unique brand of paranoia, and the path by which his son proved himself to be a chip off the old block.

In addition, listener Jesse Oppenheim returns to discuss visiting Beijing and the Temple and of course, eating Peking Duck, which you can't make at home. So instead we try zhajiangmian.

This one gets a bit crazy! Enjoy!

Sources:

Photograph by John Joh

080 - Malbork Castle and Jagiełło vs the Teutonic Knights Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

The largest brick castle of its day sits along the delta of the Vistula, a testament to the power and prestige of the order of crusading knights who built it. The Teutonic Order, from their castle at Marienburg, sought to Christianize and "civilize" the heathens of the Baltic.

In this episode, we'll investigate the knights' relationship to its neighbors, Poland and Lithuania, united under the crown of Władysław Jagiełło, and the great but stupid war that broke out between them.

And listener Rafał Źukowski drops by to talk about visiting the castle, other sights in Northern Poland, and of course food!

Sources:

Bousfield, Jonathan. DK Eyewitness Poland Čapaitė, Rūta. "The Topic of Health in the Letters of Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania and His Contemporaries." in Lithuanian Historical Studies Emery, Anthony "Malbork Castle - Poland" in The Castle Studies Group Journal No 21 Palmer, Alan. The Baltic: A New History of the Region and Its Peoples Sunkara, Lavanya. "Take A Look Inside The World's Largest Brick Fortress In Poland" in Forbes Urban, William. The Last Years of the Teutonic Knights

Photograph by Gregy

Just Like Starting Over Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

A bonus episode introducing the new host of Wonders of the World

079 - Kinkaku-ji of Kyoto and the Start of the Ashikaga Shogunate Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

Its gold walls reflected in the pond at its feet, the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji, is glorious in any season. It was originally the retirement villa of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, former shogun and patron of the arts.

How Yoshimitsu was able to be shogun is a story from some decades before, a story of betrayal, revolutions, and lots of samurai warriors committing ritual suicide.

Listener Jaime discussing seeing the temple in various seasons, as well as the experience of visiting Kyoto itself. Also, somehow Drew makes it through an entire episode on Kyoto only mentioning geisha once, and that's in the opening song lyrics. They make up for it with all the good food, including okonomiyagi, "Japanese pancakes".

NB: Drew makes an important announcement at the end of the episode.

Sources:

Dougill, John. Japan's World Heritage SitesMiller, David. Samurai WarriorsMilner, Rebecca. Lonely Planet Japan

Photograph by Pedro Szekely

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