A Capital Workout! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Budapest

An enlightened one = BUDDHA which sounds like BUDA.
A nuisance or destructive insect is a PEST = BUDAPEST.

Budapest is the capital of Hungary, a landlocked country to the east of Austria. The city of Budapest was officially created in 1873, when three neighbouring cities merged together - these cities being called Buda, Pest and Óbuda. (No guesses as to how the city got its name then!) Today the city has two distinct parts which are separated by the Danube: Buda, to the West, and Pest, to the East. A number of impressive bridges connect the two, including the famous Széchenyi Chain Bridge. Although Budapest wasn't officially founded until 1873, it is extemely old, having been inhabited by the Romans in 14BC. At one stage the city was called Pest-Buda; until someone realised if you put this on a map, Buda would be over Pest, and Pest would be over Buda, thus producing mass confusion!

Budapest holds around a fifth of Hungary's population. A beautiful city, it is known as the world's spa capital, because of the 120-odd geothermal springs that grace the city. The most famous of these are the popular Széchenyi Baths which have canary-coloured colonnades and swimming-pool-sized outdoor thermal pools.

Budapest is a popular spot for luxury river vessels to cruise past and has a majestic Parliament building which dominates the Pest side of the Danube.
Also worth seeing are the beautiful Buda and Vajdahunyad Castles; Margaret Island (where you can find medieval ruins); St. Stephens Basilica; and Halászbástya (a castle with fairytale-like turrets and towers that provide a lookout over Budapest). If you have time left over, you can go caving in stunning underground caves, visit the House of Terror (a real-life prison and torture venue at one time), or for something more modern, visit the Invisible Exhibition which gives visitors an idea of what its like to be blind.

Hungary was the second country in the world (the UK being the first) to build an underground rail system. Built in Budapest in 1886, the M1 yellow-line was given UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2002, and is still used today.

Answer: Beirut

An inlet of the sea is a BAY which sounds like BEI.
The underground part of a tree or plant is a ROOT which sounds like RUT (in the context of pronouncing Beirut). BEIRUT.

Beirut is the capital of Lebanon and is also Lebanon's largest city. It is thought to be one of the oldest cities in the world; the first written reference to it being back in the 14th century. Beirut's name came from the Canaanite-Phoenician people - the residents of the land during the Bronze Age. Their word 'Beʾerōt,' meaning 'wells' was a reference to Beirut's water table, which to this day, still provides water to the city. When the Romans conquered Beʾerōt in 64 BC, they renamed the city Berytus. (They were certainly quite fond of adding 'us' and 'ius' to the end of words!)

Beirut is located at the foot of the Lebanon mountains and has an 18 km-long coastline on the Mediterranean Sea.
Before 1975, when civil war broke out, Beirut was known as the Paris of the Middle East, because of its French influences. In regards to what you can see in Beirut now, there are plenty of museums, plus in Downtown Beirut you can see the ruins of Roman baths and the Blue Mosque, which is reportedly awe-inspiring when lit up at night. Beirut is also known as the fashion capital of the Middle East, with the Aďshti Mall in Beirut purportedly providing a world-class shopping experience.

Answer: Manila

A buff coloured folder is a Manila folder. Therefore the answer is MANILA.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. Geographically speaking, the Philippines is in Southeast Asia - east of Vietnam and south of Taiwan. The name Manila came from a flowering shrub, the 'nilad' plant. A mangrove species, it once grew profusely along the banks of the Pasig river; a river that still runs through the city today.

Manila was officially founded in June 1571, however its roots extend back to 1258. The capital is located on the country's largest island, Luzon, and is divided into north and south sections. In the south section is an area called Intramuros, (or the Walled City), which is one of the oldest parts of Manila. Built in 1571 by the Spaniards, it contains cannons, moats and bulwarks within its very thick, very high walls - some of them over six metres tall.

Other things worth seeing in Manila include the National Museum of Fine Arts, Rizal Park, and the Manila Cathedral. Pagsanjan Falls, which is a stunning area (it's about 100 kms out of Manila) is a highlight for many tourists. If shopping is your thing, you can get some retail therapy at the Venice Grand Canal Mall. This shopping precinct replicates the Italian city of Venice by having canals, pastel-hued buildings and gondoliers.
Be prepared for crowds though; in 2020 the population of Manila was a staggering 71,263 people per square kilometre, making it, at the time, the most densely populated city on the planet.

(The hint about the shoes relates to Imelda Marcos, the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. Her husband, Ferdinand Marcos, was a dictator who ran the country under martial law for a lot of his presidency. He finally got forced from office in 1986, and the Marcos had to flee the country. When protestors stormed Malacanang Palace, they found that while the country was living under martial law and millions were living in poverty, Imelda Marcos had amassed 2,700 pairs of shoes - many of them with matching handbags).

Answer: Bern

To set something on fire is to BURN, which sounds like BERN.

Bern (also spelt Berne) is the capital of Switzerland. It has been the capital since 1848, but the city itself was founded much earlier, in 1191, by Berthold V. The city's name is said to have derived from the legend that Berthold V decided he would name the city after the first animal he saw when he went on a hunt. This happened to be a 'baren,' which means 'bear' in German. However, since the discovery in the 1980s of the Bern Zinc Tablet (a metal sheet map), historians believe it's more likely the name derived from the old Celtic word 'Berna' meaning 'cleft'.

Bern is known as the city of fountains, having over 100 public fountains within its confines. The capital also has the Old City within it, which is medieval, having been constructed between the 12th and 15th century. Built on a hill, and surrounded on three sides by the Aare river, it is designated a UNESCO world heritage site. Also in the Old City are over six kilometres of arcades (making it one of the longest undercover shopping areas in Europe). The arcades contain hundreds of shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes, making it a tourist's paradise.

While in Bern you can see the bear motif (which features on Bern's Coat of Arms) on just about everything, from flags, signposts and number plates to postcards and gifts. While in Bern, you might like to visit the Einstein Museum, the famous Zytglogge Clock Tower, and the magnificent Rosengarten, where you can get a beautiful, scenic view of Bern.

Answer: Montevideo

A Spanish game of chance played with forty-five cards is MONTE.
A recording of moving visual images made digitally is VIDEO = MONTEVIDEO.

Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay and is situated on the southern coast of the country. Uruguay itself is nestled snugly between its giant neighbours, Argentina (to the west) and Brazil (to the east), and opens out onto the Atlantic Ocean.

How the name Montevideo came about is contested, however it is possible it comes from 'Monte vide eu' which is 'I see a mountain' in Portuguese. (Though Spanish is the official language of Uruguay, Portuguese is also very common). Being that the majority of Uruguay is made up of rolling plains and that one of the few mountains they have - Cerro de Montevideo - is visible from the city, this explanation does seem viable.

Montevideo enjoys the prestige of being one of the safest capitals in Latin America. It was founded in 1726 and, though it was established by the Spanish, it has also been occupied by the British, Argentine, Portuguese, and Brazilian forces. Because of this, the city is a treasure-trove of different architectural styles.

One thing to do in the city is to walk along La Rambla avenue, which follows the entire coast of the capital. At 13.7 miles (22.2 kilometers) long, it is one of the longest continuous sidewalks in the world. Other things to see in Montevideo include the Palacio Salvo, a 312ft high building which is described as eclectic in style; the Solis Theatre (a performing arts centre); and the De Los Pocitos Beach.

Answer: Amsterdam

A domesticated rodent that runs around on a wheel is a HAMSTER.
Take away the 'H' and you have AMSTER.
A barrier designed to hold back water is a DAM = AMSTERDAM.

Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. It is perhaps best known for its canal system and the narrow, wonky houses that line the canals. (The reason why they are so narrow is that the Dutch put a tax on the width of any house that had canal frontage). In all, there are more than 100 kilometers of canals in Amsterdam and over 1,500 bridges. Three main canals form a concentric pattern around the city and the rest radiate out.

Amsterdam got its name from the dutch word 'Amstelredamme', which means, not surprisingly, 'a dam in the river Amstel'. Amsterdam started as a relatively small fishing village in the late 12th century and grew steadily. But it wasn't until the 17th century, when the three main canals were dug, that it hit its Golden Age. At that time it became the wealthiest city in the Western world, with trading routes extending to the Baltic Sea, India, Sri Lanka, North America, Africa, Indonesia and Brazil.

Nowadays, everyone cycles everywhere in this city (partly because it's as flat as a pancake). In fact, Amsterdam is know as the Bike Capital of the World: there being more bicycles than people in Amsterdam, and, in fact, this is true of the whole of the Netherlands. There are many interesting things to do in Amsterdam, from visiting the House of Anne Frank and the Van Gogh Museum, to seeing the infamous Red Light District to attending the stunning tulip festival which happens in April/early May each year.

Answer: Stockholm

A liquid used as a basis for the preparation of soup is STOCK.
A place you permanently live in is a HOME which sounds like HOLM = STOCKHOLM.

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. 'Stock' means 'log' in Swedish and 'holm' means 'islet' and it is thought this is the most likely scenario for how the city got its name. The first mention of Stockholm in the history books was by a Swedish statesman called Birger Jarl when he sent a letter from Stockholm in 1252.

The city itself stretches across fourteen islands and is the largest city in Scandinavia. In regards to what to see in Stockholm, I'd probably start with the ABBA museum (because I am a massive fan!) But there's also the world's largest hemispherical building, the Ericsson Globe, plus the 100-odd museums Stockholm offers, and the Royal Palace, which is 750ft long and 410ft wide, making it one of the largest palaces in Europe. You might also want to see some of Stockholm's underground metro stations. Nearly every station in the network is like an art exhibition, which is why it is often dubbed the World's Longest Art Gallery. Alternatively you could take a trip to one of the 30,000 islands that make up the archipelago.

The clue about 'instructions' by the way, was a cheeky reference to Ikea, one of Sweden's most famous brands. (Even though Ikea is Swedish, it has its headquarters in The Netherlands).

I should mention that Stockholm is also famous for the Stockholm Syndrome phenomenon - a psychological condition that occurs when a victim of a traumatic crime or event bonds with, or gets feelings for, their abuser. The syndrome is called Stockholm Syndrome because of a bank robbery in Stockholm, in which four bank employees were taken hostage for six days in 1973. At the end of the stand-off, when the robbers had been tear-gassed and apprehended, the hostages not only refused to testify against their captors, they defended them.

Answer: Khartoum

A four wheeled motor vehicle is a CAR which sounds like KHAR.
A large vault for burying the dead is a TOMB which sounds like TOUM = KHARTOUM.

Khartoum is the capital of Sudan, a country which is directly to the south of Egypt and to the east of Chad. Sudan has 853klm of Red Sea coastline on its east coast. Interestingly, Sudan has more pyramids than any other country in the world including Egypt, which has about half as many as Sudan.

The name Khartoum is thought to have originated from 'Khaar Tuom' meaning 'Rivers crossing' in the South Sudanese dialect, Dinka. Being as the confluence of the Blue Nile and White Nile Rivers is about three miles outside of Khartoum, this certainly seems logical.

In 1821 the city was an Egyptian Army camp, and then became a garrisoned town, right up until 1885 when Mahdists (Islamic revolutionaries) besieged the garrison and then stormed it, killing the British Governor General (Charles George Gordon) as well as all the Egyptian soldiers and 4,000 Sudanese civilians. In 1896, Khartoum was won back and was ruled under an Anglo-Egyptian government headed by Governor General Lord Kitchener. In 1956 Sudan became an independent republic, and Khartoum was named its capital.

There are a number of tourist attractions in Khartoum. You can visit the Sudan Presidential Palace Museum, where they have a regular changing of the guard, or walk to the bridge where the White Nile and Blue Nile converge. Photos from the bridge are apparently strictly forbidden because the bridge is designated as being of strategic importance (however it is perfectly okay to buy a postcard of it from the main post office!) Alternately, for some local colour, you can visit the Souq Arabi (markets); watch some Sufi Dancing (loud, colourful African dancing) or attend some Nuba Wrestling.
You can also go to Omdurman to visit the Mahdi Tomb which is the burial site of Muhammad Ahmad Bin Abd Allah, the leader of the Islamic revolt. (He died of typhus just six months after overrunning the garrison).

Answer: Male

The Roman numeral for 1000 is M.
A beer that isn't stout, lager or porter is ALE = MALE.
(The clue btw is the chromosome for males - XY).

Male is the capital of the Republic of the Maldives. It is fairly unique in that the whole of the 1000-odd Maldives islands are actually named after the capital, Male. (The language spoken in the Maldives is Dhivehi, and 'dive' in this language means 'islands', therefore Maldives means 'The islands of Male').

The city of Male is on an atoll in the Indian Ocean, about a 4 & 1/2 hour flight from India and 400 miles southwest of Sri Lanka. The Maldives were once colonised by the British, French and Portuguese, but in 1965 they gained independence, and since 1968 the Republic has had an elected president. It is interesting to note that Male airport is on a separate island, Hulhule, and for decades you needed to take a ferry or speedboat to get to Male. However, in 2018 they built the Sinamalé Bridge to make travel easier.

Male was badly flooded when the worst tsunami in known history - the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami - hit many regions of the Indian Ocean. Fortunately, because of a massive seawall built and completed in 2002 (it was both constructed and funded by Japan's ODA grant aid), Male didn't sustain a fraction of the damage, or loss of life, that many other locations did.

The city is full of colourful buildings, so much so in fact, that it has been described by travel writers as a 'lego-brick' metropolis. Things to do in Male include visiting the fresh fish markets, seeing the Grand Friday Mosque, the National Museum, or the Tsunami Monument. Alternatively you can get a speedboat or seaplane and set off to one of the islands in the Maldives. These islands, popular with honeymooners, offer crystal clear waters, incredible beaches, a glorious climate (for most of the year) and luxurious overwater bungalows.

Answer: Athens

The answer was hidden in the clue:
'... even walking along a p(ATH ENS)nares the senses and feeds the soul'.

Athens is the capital of Greece. It is one of Europe's oldest cities, having been established in 508 BC. The name Athens is thought to have been derived from the Goddess Athena. (There is a legend which says that both Athena and Poseidon wanted to become the city's patron and namesake, so they both offered gifts to the city. Poseidon gifted rather unpleasant, slightly salty water, whereas Athena donated an olive tree. Athena's gift was, understandably, deemed the better of the two, and so Athens was named after her).

Athens is located in the far south of Greece, on the beautiful Aegean Sea. (The country of Greece is to the east of Italy and to the west of Turkey). Athens is renowned for many things, but is perhaps best known for being the birthplace of democracy, which was introduced in the sixth century BC. This system of government ensured every free male citizen had the right to vote on important matters.
Because of Athens' cultural achievements in philosophy, medicine, mathematics, art, literature and astronomy, it is also thought of by many as the birthplace of Western civilisation.

There are many historical buildings to be found in Athens but the most famous are the Acropolis (which has three main parts including The Pantheon which was built in 432 BC) and The Temple of Zeus (which originally contained 104 giant columns).
You can also see the National Archaeological Museum, and, for something a little more modern, the Museum of Illusions. Or you could just hop on a boat or plane and explore one of the spectacular 227 habitable Greek Islands.

Answer: Ottawa

A playful foraging mammal with webbed feet and dense fur is an OTTER which sounds like OTTA.
The largest state in Australia is Western Australia, the abbreviation of which is WA = OTTAWA.

Ottawa is the capital of Canada. In this case though, the capital is not the most populated city - instead it is Toronto, which has nearly five times the population of Ottawa. The city started life as a lumbering and trading town. In fact, the name Ottawa derives from the word 'adawe' which is an Algonquian (the indigenous people of Eastern Canada) word, meaning 'to trade'. It was Queen Victoria who was asked by the leaders of Canada to choose a capital, which she did in 1857. The decision, Ottawa, came as a shock to the citizens of other, larger and more established cities, but it wasn't a decision made lightly. Queen Victoria apparently chose Ottawa because it was between two of the largest cities - Toronto and Montreal - was a long way from the US border, and was surrounded by very dense woods - making it a safe, strong, defensible location.

Ottawa, the seventh coldest capital on earth, features the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO world heritage site. 7.8 klm's of this 202 klm-long canal winds through the city of Ottawa, and in winter, when the canal freezes over (on average 50 days of the year) ice skaters come out in their droves. In fact, according to Ottawa's National Capital Commission, on Jan 22/23, 2022, approximately 66,000 braved the sub-zero temperatures to hit the Skateway canal.

Also of note in Ottawa, apart from museums, parks and 35 annual festivals, is the Château Laurier Hotel. This luxury 429-room hotel with Tiffany stained-glass windows and Belgian-marble lobby floors was commissioned by Charles Melville Hays. The hotel was due to have a grand opening on 26th April 1912, but Hays had to first return to Canada from overseas. Sadly, his transport of choice was the ill-fated Titanic. Hays went down with the ship just 12 days before the hotel's opening, and it is said that his ghost has been haunting the hotel ever since.

Answer: Rome

To 'travel or wander all over the place without any purpose or direction' is to ROAM which sounds like ROME.

Rome is the capital of Italy. For centuries people have been taught that Rome got its name from the legend of the twin boys, Romulus and Remus, who were bought up by a wolf when their mother abandoned them. The legend said that the boys decided to build a city on the site where they had been saved when they were infants. However they had a petty quarrel about the location of the city, which turned violent, and Romulus killed Remus. Romulus then named the city after himself in 753 BC. Historians, however, are now saying that they believe Rome to be older than this and that it was most likely established closer to 1000 BC. It has been proposed that the name Rome could have derived from the word 'rumon,' which is the Etruscan name for the Tiber River which runs through Rome.

The Roman Empire, which exerted influence for nearly 1000 years and went into the history books as one of the greatest civilisations known to mankind, fell in AD 476. At its peak the Roman Empire is said to have included 65 million inhabitants, which accounted for roughly 20% of the world's population at that time.

Today Rome is a fascinating, beautiful and busy city with literally hundreds of things to do and see. It is home to the 2000 year-old Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Arch of Titus. You can throw coins into the Trevi Fountain (approx 3000 euro are thrown into this each day; the money going to charity), or walk the Spanish Steps (I say 'walk' because since 2019 you can be fined up to 400 euro for sitting on them AND you have a whistle blown at you!). There is also the famous St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel to explore. Vatican City, a country in itself, and home to The Pope, can also be found in Rome. If you do get bored, there's always a wealth of plazas, pizzerias, fashion houses, art galleries, beautiful parks, museums, and churches to see.

Answer: Paris

The capital was hidden in the following:
'... end of the day you might need a nice, relaxing s(PA. RIS)ing early...'

Paris is the capital of France - the third largest country in Europe (the largest being Russia and the second largest being Ukraine).
Paris has been inhabited since around 259 BC, when the Parisii, an Iron-Age Gallic tribe, settled on the banks of the Seine. Paris was then conquered by the Romans who called it Lutetia Parisiorum. By the time the Roman Empire ended, Paris was called Parisius. It was shortened to Paris in AD 508 by the ruler of the Franks, Clovis The Frank. He was urged by his advisor, a pious nun called Genevieve (who is now the Patron Saint of France) to make Paris the capital of his kingdom.

The city of Paris is about 41 square miles. It spreads out from both banks of the Seine, which is why you will often hear 'right bank' and 'left bank'. A 22-mile ring road goes around the city. Paris is also known as 'The City of Lights', a name it earnt because it was the first major city on continental Europe to have gas streetlamps installed, and in fact, by 1857 it had 56,000 of them.

A weekend in Paris is definitely not enough time to immerse yourself in the city. For starters you have the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Napoleon's Tomb, the Seine River, the Champs Elysees, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sacré Coeur Basilica and Montmarte.
If you have any energy left, you can go and see the Grand Palais, the Moulin-Rouge, the Pont Neuf, the Arc de Triomphe, the Place de la République, the Musée d'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou, and, just outside of Paris, the incredible Versailles Palace. There are also hundreds of parks, gardens, cafes, street artists, buskers and entertainers all around Paris.

The hint by the way, referenced Jim Morrison, the lead singer of The Doors. He is buried in the Pčre Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Though it might sound morbid, you can spend a great day here looking at the graves of many notable people including Fredric Chopin, Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Isadora Duncan, Edith Piaf, Marcel Marceau and Gioacchino Rossini. With its elaborate tombs, statues and sculptures, the cemetery is almost an outdoor art gallery.

Answer: Bogota

A wet area of spongy, soggy ground = BOG.
The main ingredient in porridge is an OAT. An anagram of this is OTA = BOGOTA.

Bogota is the capital of Columbia, a country in the north of South America.
The name Bogota came from the indigenous people who first farmed the area - the Muiscas. They called it 'Bacatá', which means (depending on which source you believe) either 'enclosure outside the farmfields,' or 'The Lady of the Andes.' Over the years 'Bacata' gradually morphed into 'Bogota'. The city was founded by a Spanish conquistador named Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, who conquered Bacata in 1538.

Bogota is the capital and also the largest city in Columbia. It is located roughly in the centre of the country on a sloping plain in the eastern part of the Andes mountain range. It is actually the third highest capital in the world at an average 8,660 feet above sea level and it covers 613 square miles.

In the heart of the city is the Plaza Bolívar, which has a statue commemorating Simon Bolívar, a Latin-American liberator who, in 1810, started a large and very successful revolt against Spanish colonial rule in South America. Also in this plaza are the presidential palace - the Palacio de Narino, the Capitol Building, and the magnificent Cathedral of Bogotá.

One thing not to be missed in Bogota is the Gold Museum, which receives half a million visitors a year. It contains roughly 34,000 gold pieces, plus 20,000 other artefacts. You can also climb Monserrate Hill, where you can get a great viewpoint of Bogota, or go to the The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, which is an underground cathedral carved out of a salt mine. Laguna de Guatavita, which is where the story of El Dorado originated, is just outside of Bogota. There are also many parks, lots of street art, markets and exciting night-life on offer in this city.

Answer: Monaco

The painting in question is 'The Mona Lisa', but only the first word is needed, so MONA is the first part of the answer.
The chemical symbol for Cobalt is CO = MONACO.

Monaco is the capital of Monaco - an independent, sovereign principality which is surrounded by France and is situated on the French Riviera. After Vatican City, Monaco is the smallest sovereign state in the world. (To give you an idea of how small, it would take up only 60% of New York's Central Park).
Monaco (the capital) has been the official capital since 1297 when the Grimaldi family began their reign. However the area has a much older history - in fact, according to experts, Monaco's history dates back to 300,000 BCE. The principality boasts two two prehistoric caves: the Cave of the Exotic Garden and the Saint-Martin cave.

The name Monaco is thought to have come from the Ligurians (the people of Liguria, a NW coastal region in Italy). They called the area 'Monoikos' which is Greek for 'single house'. (Part of an ancient myth said there was only one temple in the area - the House of Hercules, hence the single-house reference).

Monaco is one of the wealthiest cities in the world, which also makes it one of the most expensive places to visit/live in. Apparently, every third person who lives in Monaco is a millionaire. It is home to several very famous casinos (though Monaco citizens are prohibited by law from gambling in these) and it hosts the Monaco Grand Prix every year. Monte Carlo, a district in the 2.1klm square principality, is probably the most famous area of Monaco with the most famous casino. The most famous person is undoubtedly Grace Kelly, an American actress who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. In the American Film Institute's list of the 25 Greatest Female Stars of Classical Hollywood cinema, Grace is listed 13th. A stunning looking woman who married a real life prince, the world was shocked when she died at age 52 in a car crash in Monaco.

Having been to Monaco myself, if you haven't been there, I would put it on your bucket-list. It is pristinely clean, extremely safe (there are more police officers per capita in Monaco than anywhere else in the world); has beautiful architecture, jaw-dropping views, incredible marinas, and is a shoppers, car and yacht-lovers dream!