Primal Places to Visit in Different Countries page

[Lewis]

Perhaps a thread on this would be good.

There must be various places in just about every country that might appeal to people with primal interests and it could be good to have an expanded list of them with links as a resource for people going on holiday.

It might be just about anything -- rock art, a museum with a good anthropology collection, something to do with food or farming.

I'll suggest two or three in England to get the ball rolling.

Down House at Downe in Kent:

With its unique place in the history of science, Down House, the home of Charles Darwin, is one of the major visitor attractions in the South East. See the study where Darwin wrote 'On the Origin of Species', still as it was when he worked here, and stroll through the extensive gardens that so inspired the great scientist.

Home of Charles Darwin (Down House) | English Heritage

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew:

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is one of the world's leading botanic gardens. Holding over 1 in 8 of known plant species, the gardens at Kew and Wakehurst ...

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Welcome To Our Website

British Museum: Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas

The collection of the Department of Africa, Oceania and the Americas includes around 350,000 objects, representing the cultures of the indigenous peoples of four continents. ... Between 1970 and 1997 the department (then known as the Department of Ethnography) was well known for its lively exhibitions and related activities which took place at the Museum of Mankind. Since it returned to the main Museum site in Bloomsbury, the department has continued to display its collection in permanent galleries ...

British Museum - Africa, Oceania and the Americas

[Paleobird]

The Oldupai Gorge in Tanzania was fascinating. This is the resting place of Lucy. The place where the earliest know evidence of completely bipedal locomotion was recorded for all time in the volcanic mud. This is where the dig made famous by the Leakeys is still ongoing.
It was amazing to be walking in the footsteps of Grok and Grokelle across this magnificent landscape and get a feel for what it would have taken to survive there.

While there I visited with a tribe of bushmen named the Wahadzabe. These are Grok's great, great some-odd grandchildren. Wonderful people. They taught me how to shoot a bow and how to make fire with a stick. Making dik-dik jerky with the guys and digging up bush potatoes with the ladies. Fascinating stuff.

[Lewis]

That sounds great.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority :: What to See - Oldupai Gorge & Laetoli


I'm hoping this thread will attract some posts. I don't go on holiday much, but if I went to Australia where would I go to find out Aboriginal life pre-contact, and is any of the rock art accessible? What about stuff on the Maoris and the flora and fauna of New Zealand? If I pop over to Norway -- not too far -- is the Fram on show, and can I find out about Nansen and what he learned from indigenous peoples?

One could have a virtual holiday if nothing else by visiting the links.

[sbhikes]

The Elora and Ajanta caves in India are amazing.

[Leida]

I want to go to Lascaux caves (and other caves in the area) in France. I know it is a replica, but I just love the idea anyway.

[MissP]

A great idea!

This is on a little bit of a different track but I am thinking it would be an awe-inspiring place.

Southern Skies Get Starlight Reserve Status | Stuff.co.nz

[Lewis]

I want to go to Lascaux caves (and other caves in the area) in France. I know it is a replica, but I just love the idea anyway.

Ok, rock art.

Let's have a virtual tour:

Bradshaw Foundation


Here's another from my part of the world:

2012 celebrates 40 years of
Butser Ancient Farm

An experimental archaeological site of world wide standing,
open seven days a week (most of the year) to the public and schools.

Displaying on-going constructions of buildings based on real sites,
crops from prehistory, and rare breeds of animals.

Exploring ancient technologies, and allowing 'hands on' activities for visitors.

Butser Ancient Farm - Official Website

[mommymd]

We just came back from dinosaur provincial park in Alberta, Canada. Tours take you into the badlands where you walk over, on, around, touch fossils from the Cretaceous period. You learn to identify dinosaur fossils from rock by licking it. They have on site "comfort camping" which is a prospectors tent with 2 beds, fridge, BBQ or you can tent on your own. If you go be warned of the biting bugs. On of the tours discussed the natives' former and ongoing use of the land.

Dinosaur Provincial Park

The band The Mountain Goats has a song that is about the Oldupai Gorge. That album is on the heavy rotation for our family in the car. They also have a song about vampires.


In the same vein as traveling from the comfort of your home, try to watch Cave Of Forgotten Dreams

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010) - IMDb

It's in 3D by Werner Herzog. Not sure if watching it on a regular screen would be the same experience as in the theatre.

Mommymd

[Lewis]

Here's one for people visiting the U.S.

Important collection of American Indian artifacts:

Smithsonian


That restaurant in Copenhagen. Maybe it's open?

Palæo

[Owly]

Mommymd, next time you're out our way you should check out Head-Smashed-In.

I recently did a hike to Walcott Quarry, one of the most significant sites in the Burgess Shale region. Cambrian Explosion fossils! So amazing. You couldn't pick up a piece of shale without finding a fossil in it.

Sbhikes, Ajanta and Elora are incredible. Sarnath was amazing too. Actually, pretty much all the archaeological sites in India were amazing. I wish I'd been able to see some of the Harappan sites, but I didn't make it to any of them, although I saw some of the artifacts in the national museum. Next trip, hopefully.