Once in a while, I need to escape reality, and it’s harder than it seems when you’re not into drugs.

My preferred long-term option is travelling. Wandering around various countries and cities is the best way to get a glimpse of the real reality and maybe realize the world isn’t such a bad place, after all.

Otherwise, my quick fixes include getting lost in a book—hard to worry about your own issues when you’re trying to figure out who murdered who—, writing, taking pictures, learning a new skill or enjoying something inspiring.

Yeah, no earth-shattering tips, I suppose. This is why I’m not famous on social media (on a side note, endless scrolling is not a way to feel better about the world).

It’s November, it’s grey, it’s rainy (or snowy in Canada, apparently), and sunset is way too early. There are a couple of wars going on, a new crisis every day, and I’m not feeling super optimistic about the future.

So I decided to try my luck at a special event at the Château des Ducs de Bretagne. I spotted it a couple of weeks ago—a free night at the museum featuring the latest exhibition on the Mongol Conquests and Ghengis Khan.

I love Genghis Khan. This will probably make more sense if I add I spent a lot of time studying the Yuan Dynasty and the Mongol Empire at university, where I completed a degree in Chinese language and civilization.

Why do I find the Yuan fascinating? Because these nomadic tribes somehow managed to conquer about 22% of the world. But it’s not just blood and heads cut off—they were fascinated by science, they were curious travellers, and they bridged cultures.

So I escaped for a few hours wandering around the castle at night and admiring exquisite artwork from a civilization many would have called barbaric plunderers.