Wonders of the World

I blundered and started working on the wrong episode. I can't cover the Red Fort without having first talked about the Taj Mahal because that's getting Shah Jahan, Mughal Emperor's life all caddywampus, and we can't have that. If you have been to the Taj Mahal, please let me know!! I'd love to chat with you!

The Himalaya are the highest and greatest mountain range on earth, and their importance to Asian culture and history cannot be overstated.  1.6 billion people rely on fresh water that drains from the Himalaya and the Tibetan Plateau. In this episode, we focus on Ladakh, the northernmost territory in India, the "Land of High Passes" where the most prominent passes over the Himalaya could be found, passes that brought Buddhism to Tibet, Islam to India, and culture to all parts of Asia.  Leading a caravan over the passes was not for the faint of heart - or the faint of oxygen. Since Ladakh is next door to Kashmir, we will talk about one of my favorite Kashmiri dishes: Rogan Josh! Photo by Reflectionsbyprajakta

The Naqsh-e Jahan Square is a remarkable example of urban planning, the centerpiece of the grand imperial capital of Esfahan, Iran.  The capital was built by hundreds of thousands of people for the glory of Shah Abbas the Great of the Safavid Dynasty. While I'm sure the story of his military triumphs is interesting, I find the drama of his family to be waaay more interesting.  From his poetry-hating grandfather to his opium-addicted gay uncle, from his blind father to the rivalry between his aunt and mother, Abbas couldn't be the paranoid maniac he was without the work of all those who came before. Listener Krister Törneke returns to talk about his several visits to Esfahan over the years, and we enjoy a plate of ghormeh-sabsi! Photo by Pedram Forouzanfar

Perhaps the most ethereal and beautiful astronomical sight available to regular old humans, the auroras borealis and australis, the Northern and Southern Lights have amazed and inspired us for our whole existence on earth. One of the better places to see the Northern Lights is northern Sweden, and this episode covers the five years in which Sweden was the dominant military force on the planet: the brief, happy campaign of Gustavus Adolphus.  We'll discuss his triumphs, his disasters, and his impact on the Thirty Years War.  Listener Krister Torneke returns to talk about his home country - he'll be back next month as well! And of course, we make Swedish meatballs! Extra bonus points if you find all the ABBA references!

February 8th!  Got to https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ for tickets!  And use the promo code WONDERS to get 10% off!  It'll be great!