Marco Polo in China
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Jackson Monk
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: Marco Polo in China
Did he speak broken English?
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
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Jackson Monk
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Re: Marco Polo in China
Maybe, but fractured italian was his prefered lingo.
corruptio optimi pessima
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Otis Westinghouse
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Re: Marco Polo in China
Was he Faithfull to his missus?
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
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Jack of All Parades
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Re: Marco Polo in China
Oh! most definitely but "The Letter Home" was unfortunately in "Pidgen English", nor do I think he ever "Came Down from Dover".
"....there's a merry song that starts in 'I' and ends in 'You', as many famous pop songs do....'
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bambooneedle
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CS trying to get in the action
...
I forgot to laugh
I forgot to laugh
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A rope leash
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Just an accident of history...yeah!
Did you know that Alexander's dad, Philip, was also involved with a woman named Cleopatra? After Philip was stabbed, Alexander's mom, Olympias, had her and her baby killed. What a bitch!
It's got nothing to do with Marco Polo...but still...what a bitch!
It's got nothing to do with Marco Polo...but still...what a bitch!
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A rope leash
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Re: Marco Polo in China
Did you know that Marco Polo was not alone on his journey to Asia? He was with his father, Nicolo, and his uncle, Maffeo. His father and uncle had already made the trip once. The Great Khan sent them back to Italy with a request to return with a hundred learned men. A couple of years later they began the return trip, with only Marco and a couple of Dominican priests. The priests tired out early and quit, but the Polos moved on.
They spent many years in the court of Khublai Khan, making several excursions into the countryside to observe the cultures. After nearly two decades, they became homesick, and tried to devise a way back to Italy. Their opportunity came when Argon, the Persian monarch, needed suitable escorts for a princess who was travelling to him from China. They left by boat on a voyage of two years around the south of India to Persia. From there they made their way back to Venice, where they were treated as stragglers. It wasn't until they ripped open their garments to reveal their treasures of gold and jewels were they allowed back into their home.
The Europeans found their tales of Asia to be preposterous. They were laughed at and ridiculed. Marco was then caught up in a battle between the Geonese and Venetians, and was taken prisoner. He was very bored in prison, and he related his stories to a writer called Rusticiano, who subsequently published a book called The Travels of Marco Polo. The impact of this book cannot be overstated...it gave the Europeans the impetus to seek out other cultures and to grow by learning from them. Hence the end of the Dark Ages, and the bloom of the Rennaisance.
Seems like it would make a good movie. It probably already is. Maybe John Cusack as Marco...DeNiro and Pacino as father and uncle.
I should have studied this stuff years ago, but being a pedantic bastard is more suitable to the older than it is to the younger.
They spent many years in the court of Khublai Khan, making several excursions into the countryside to observe the cultures. After nearly two decades, they became homesick, and tried to devise a way back to Italy. Their opportunity came when Argon, the Persian monarch, needed suitable escorts for a princess who was travelling to him from China. They left by boat on a voyage of two years around the south of India to Persia. From there they made their way back to Venice, where they were treated as stragglers. It wasn't until they ripped open their garments to reveal their treasures of gold and jewels were they allowed back into their home.
The Europeans found their tales of Asia to be preposterous. They were laughed at and ridiculed. Marco was then caught up in a battle between the Geonese and Venetians, and was taken prisoner. He was very bored in prison, and he related his stories to a writer called Rusticiano, who subsequently published a book called The Travels of Marco Polo. The impact of this book cannot be overstated...it gave the Europeans the impetus to seek out other cultures and to grow by learning from them. Hence the end of the Dark Ages, and the bloom of the Rennaisance.
Seems like it would make a good movie. It probably already is. Maybe John Cusack as Marco...DeNiro and Pacino as father and uncle.
I should have studied this stuff years ago, but being a pedantic bastard is more suitable to the older than it is to the younger.