Searching for Valentina – Anderson School

This is a friendly reminder that you have a time limit of 60 minutes for all six of the locations.

The remaining time can be seen at the top of your browser or to the right of your screen. Monitor the time left carefully, do not spend more time on a question than it deserves, focus on those worth many points.

The myth of Atlantis is a lost paradise. A great sunken civilization beyond the Pillars of Hercules (Strait of Gibraltar) still untraceable…

You found it!

Our house historian failed to report the story accurately and made a mistake. Which Greek philosopher first mentioned the Atlantis? 
It is NOT Aristotle
2 points for a successful answer

Reaching what seems to have been a port, you're facing this massive statue. But who does it represent? Click on the corresponding planet.

In his description of Atlantis, Plato compared it to other parts of the world. One of which is Libya.
"there lay an island which was larger than Libya and _?_ together"
What is the second one?
3 points for a successful answer

Keep on exploring. Around you, no noise except bubbles from your bottles. You stumble upon an engraving in the stone.

You see a cloud of words engraved on the wall. A temple built to a God? A God worshiped by the people of Atlantis? Maybe? Which God?

Suddenly you notice an "underwater drone" controlled remotely. You're puzzled as someone seems to be willing to communicate with you… But who could it be?
Is it Valentina controlling it? It means she's okay.
There is hope.

Well done. Even dozens of meters underwater, you are still very efficient. The robot signals you to come closer to a sort of sunken temple… It seems that some inscriptions shine on the façade...

The robot hints that you need to decode these inscriptions written in Atlantean language. An alphabet would serve you well… Pick the right translation in the list.
4 points if you succeed. (Don't guess!)

Your journey continues to Greece.
Welcome to Rhodes! The 6th of the Seven Wonders of the World! The shadow of the colossus will always prevail in the city. Let's see what your contact here will have to say… But first, you need to find him, and he has to recognize you.

Good, he recognized you! His name is Alexandros and he gives you this mysterious envelope that includes a legendary riddle. 
In the mythology, failure to answer was punished by death, killed by a  Sphinx. No such danger here but reward if you find.
Answer to move forward and get 2 points.

To win his trust, you need to answer some of his questions first!

He thinks for a moment then asks you a simple question first -

"During her travel to Greece, Valentina developed a special fondness for a particular God. Which one? he asks, eyeing your notebook"
2 points for a good answer

Another legendary Greek riddle.
Who is the "father"?
The "Father" is constituted of 12 _ _ _ T H S  ("the children")
The "Children" are constituted of 30 D_ _ _ (the "daughters")

"Correct", he says! Then add another question, "Which image above represents Poseidon, the God of Seas?"

You're no longer in Greece but in Albania. 
There is something about Albanians that you need to know to avoid misunderstanding: Albanians nod to say "no" and shake their head to say "yes".

So next, you must answer 'Albanian Style' ok? Use the OPPOSITE of the right answer to get points (Answer "No" when you would want to answer "Yes"). Stay focused! It's not that easy! And time is limited!

Is Albania in Asia?

Is the official language of Albania Spanish?

Welcome to Beijing. You are in the subway.
On one of the poles, you notice a small ad. As you get closer, you read "student offers his services as a tour guide to discover a different side of China - contact: 15892147526.QQ.cn ».

Beijing Zoo Station, line 4, Beijing. The station is unusually empty for this city of 7M inhabitants!

Many apps (WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter) are blocked in China The Chinese have their own social networks, one of them is QQ, represented by a small animal! Which one?

You create an account in a hurry to contact the mysterious 15892147526. "Sign In" to continue.

"Hello, I'm Cheng. Congratulations, you've decoded a Chinese address. By the way, do you know why the URL of Chinese websites are composed of numbers, not letters?"

Select the right answer from the list.

Cheng continues and tells you about Chinese numerology.
Each number has its own signification.

How would you say "I want to be rich" with numbers ?
3 points if you answer correctly

As incredible as it might seem, Cheng confirms that he met Valentina during her exploration of the Forbidden City. It is said to contain 9999 rooms! But how many rooms do you think the imperial palace actually contains? Type the answer below!
2 points

Cheng wants to know you and trust that as Valentina's friend you must have large erudition. Let see how well you know Chinese culture and history. China has had many great thinkers and philosophers.
Who wrote the Art of War?
Select the answer from the list.

342 BC - The crossbow is first used in China

105 AD: Paper is invented

When was the Umbrella invented?

2 points

Sheng HANGS out with Valentina a lot when she is in China.
By the way, among the 5 dynasties proposed, which is the oldest?

Cheng hands you a piece of paper, showing some Chinese characters.

He tells you about the time he and Valentina were walking through a street in China and she saw a character written on a lantern. It was the character for "Love".
Which one is it?

3 points

Cheng  sends you a photo of himself. He enjoyed meeting with you. He started studying to become guide and share his passion for travels with people from all around the world.

Next, your search of Valentina brings you to India. In the heart of Delhi, you instantly dive into the bustle of a market: lively, colourful, noisy…: There are few words to describe this chaotic but well-functioning organization.

Suddenly, you make eye contact with the powerful gaze of a woman behind a spice stall. A rough life seems to have branded her face. You need to speak with this woman, that's for sure.

Her name is Latika. By the way, in a famous movie, Latika was also the name of an orphan from Mumbai who won 20M rupees on a TV game. What is the name of this movie?

Spices in India are incredible, there is such a diversity. People eat spicy, they drink spicy, they smoke spicy, even wear spicy perfumes.

She has a challenge for you.

Latika knows the secrets of each spice and their medicinal virtue. What does she recommend if you get tooth pain?

3 points

She notices you have pain. You tell her it is in both left and right wrists, hands, and knees.
No worries she has what you need.
What is it?
3 points

Unlike the names of some Indian cities (Dehli used to be Indaprastha, Mumbay was Bombay, etc.), the names of dishes don't change. Let's start with Tandoori chicken! Select the number associated with the square with its photo.

Which dish is Chapati?
Select the number associated with the square with its photo.

And finally, every culture tries to make them theirs but they're Indian: Samosas!

She tells you that "salt has been produced in India for over 5000 years. During the time of the Spice Route many Roman soldiers were paid their salaries in Salt! This gave birth to the term ‘salary"’.
Amazing!
Interesting lady dont you think?

Sabah al-kheir and welcome to the Egyptian museum of Cairo!
It's one of Valentina's favourite place. 

Abdel, a well-known archeologist, waits for you. With Valentina, they co-discovered so many things together! Abdel wants to help you but first you must answer some questions about the civilization.

This mummy has been discovered a long time ago but surprisingly was not found in his tomb. It was first removed to the tomb of his father during antiquity, and later moved to the cache at Deir el-Bahari. Valentina took special interest in the year of discovery - having written in her notebook the year of the discovery (in coded form). When was it?
5 points if you find the answer

A prominent figure in Egyptian history is Ramses the Second (Ramses II). Ramses II is one of the most celebrated pharaoh of Egypt, ruling for many years.

"When its mummy was discovered, it wasn't in his tomb."
Is the statement true or false?

Toutankhamon,(a Pharaon) golden coffin was buried in a tomb in the Valley Of The Kings. Inside many objects have been found: a golden throne, crown and cobra, pottery, and even his sandals. What was special about them? (Valentina hid a useful note in her booklet)
3 points if you find the answer

To which significant event does Blaise Pascal allude to in the sentence: "Had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed." Type the answer.
2 points

With 2,3 millions blocks, the Great Pyramid still keeps a lot of secrets. In 2017, a scanning technology revealed an unexplored chamber where could be hidden treasures. Unfortunately, no modern technology can enable us to reach it.

How many casing blocks were used to build the Great Pyramid?

Inside Giza's Great Pyramid…?! Valentina probably left a well-protected clue somewhere inside.



No sign of Valentina. It's time to learn more about the mural painting on the walls.

After taking a closer look, it seems that the central part hides a secret hatch…
Archeologists are used to push part of a wall to open a passage. But here, the 8 patterns of this Ramses II painting are identical. Which one do you choose? Has Valentina discovered it and left you a clue? Select the right one!
3 points

Welcome to Africa. While travelling here, Valentina met Imani IBONARI, a researcher specializing in African myths and legends. Are you ready to meet her?

First, you need to find her… In which city is IBONARI? Type the name of this city to go there…
The name of the city is an anagram (word composed of the same letters in a different order) of her name

She's the last offspring of a Kenyan priestess who taught her all the legends of the country.

Imani will ask you some questions. You will score points to find Valentina for each good answer. But be careful: Imani doesn't have much time for you! If you fail, you will have to make a voodoo sacrifice taught by her ancestors… "Good luck" she says! Well in her own language, what does she actually say?
2 points

I am a man, I am a woman and yet, I am neither a man nor a woman. Who am I?
2 points

Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa (5,895 metres) but not in the world. But it holds the world title as the highest single free-standing mountain in the world.

Being the highest single free-standing mountain in the world means it has the highest height vs its plateau.
What is the height (in meters) between the summit and its plateau?
Enter only the numerical value,
3 Points

A Tuareg leader passed away. He left 17 camels to his three sons and, according to the will, the eldest son should be given half of all the camels, the middle son the one-third and the youngest son the one-ninth of all the camels. Seems impossible. The sons started to argue until a wise man helped them solve this. Can you find how they settled this while respecting the will of the father?
How many camels does the second son get?

4 points if you answer correctly

(The wise man owns a camel)

How many languages are spoken on the African continent?

Welcome to New York City, the city that never sleeps! The time difference doesn't affect your bright mind, you just found a ticket on the ground of the legendary Broadway Avenue. You're convinced that it belongs to Valentina.

Look at the ticket: what means of transports should you use? Type in your answer.

Dial above the last 4 digits of the taxi phone number to book a ride. You hope that the driver is your contact in this gigantic city!

Your taxi has arrived. Get in and get quickly to the point because time and meter fly by!

Argghhh, the driver noticed your accent… In NYC, taxi rides can be negotiated and so is information. He wants to test you to avoid any trick… He gives you a 1-dollar bill. Pay attention, he's going to ask you questions. Let's take a closer look at the bill…

Who is the president on the bill? Type his last name only!

Now, which symbol of the U.S.A is on the bill? Type your answer below.
2 points

Now, how many visible arrows are there on the bill?
3 points when you get the answer right.

Finally, there's a hidden detail on the bill (on the side with the portrait of G. Washington). You might need a magnifying glass to see it. Once you do, type what animal it is below!
3 points when you get the answer right.

This owl (barely noticeable) is the symbol of wisdom because it can see at night. It's the emblem of many secret societies.

Well done, you earned the driver's trust. He drives you to where he dropped Valentina, a few blocks away from here.

Here you are at the feet of the Empire State Building, in famous Midtown. Your contact has another question for you: as rare as it is for a building, it's the only one in NY with its own. But in Singapore, every building has its own.

Kathie Holten, a New York-based artist designed the "New York City Tree Alphabet" in collaboration with the NYC Parks Department. Each letter is assigned a tree from the NYC Parks existing native and non-native trees.
It allows New Yorkers to rewrite the urban landscape by planting messages around the city with real trees. What message was  left by Valentina?

Your search for Valentina brings you now to the Amazon forest.
Heavy, hot, and terribly humid: A lot of the trees have been cut here.

You're in the South-East of Peru which attracts thousands of workers. They're looking for gold. Scourging in the dirty rivers, hoping to find a nugget or two of gold. It's hard work but it's one of the few things available.

The frenzy of gold miners hits men of all ages, races, and nationalities. A lost city  of gold, led many a conquistador on a fruitless trek into the rainforests and mountains of South America. What's the name of this city?

Solve the maze to figure it out!
2 points

Hiram Bingham, an American academic and explorer scientific discoverer of Machu Picchu is sometimes referred to as the 'real Indiana Jones'. He made public the existence of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu with the guidance of local indigenous farmers. In which year?
Check Valentina's notebook for a hint.
2 points

Nestled atop a mountain ridge in Peru, the 15th-century Inca city of Machu Picchu had sat largely forgotten for centuries—until archaeologist Hiram Bingham began excavations of the ruins a little than hundred years ago.
Machu Picchu's original purpose is still unknown—though many archaeologists think they are closer to finding an answer. Which the most accepted purpose? Select from the list
2 points

The former  capital of the Inca Empire is known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. Beautiful city.

It is also one of the city at the highest altitude in the whole world. Do you know its altitude?
3 points

Suddenly, a panting man comes to you and whispers in your ear. The Incas invented a running relay system and used to whisper important messages up to the top of the mountains. It seems that you are at the final addressee.

Find the flag that represents the native people of Peru to understand the message!

Welcome to Valentina secret basecamp. You found her!