Trail of Feathers powerful hallucinogen? After gathering equipment in London—and advice from the British explorer Wilfred Thesiger—the long quest began. Shah went first to the mountains of Peru and a trek to Machu Picchu, the Incas’ most sacred city, then on to the mountain city of Cusco and a mysterious island on the great glittering expanse of Lake Titicaca. Picking up clues as he went, Shah's trail took him on to the coast and through the desert, to the immense animal-like etchings which form the Nazca Lines, and a remote burial ground for thirty thousand mummified corpses. And finally he took an extended
Destruction of country houses in 20th-century Britain Destruction of country houses in 20th-century Britain The destruction of country houses in 20th-century Britain was a phenomenon brought about by a change in social conditions during which a large number of country houses of varying architectural merit were demolished by their owners. Collectively termed by several authors "the lost houses", the final chapter in the history of these often now-forgotten houses has been described as a cultural tragedy. The British nobility had been demolishing their country houses since the 15th century, when comfort replaced fortification as an essential need. For many, demolishing and rebuilding their country homes became a