Let's go to Lima, Peru, virtually, of course. Mr. William Joseph Showalter wrote the last article in the June, 1930, National Geographic Magazine, "The Lure of Lima, City of the Kings." The author "had come to see the first founded capital of South America in the process of modernization, and to catch something of the romance and lure of its nearly four centuries of dramatic history" (p. 727).
The country of Peru is located on the west coast of South America. Its northern boundary just touches the Equator, and shares the border with Ecuador and Colombia. Its eastern region borders Brazil and Boliva. In climate, it is cooler than its eastern neighbors due to the ocean current originating in Antarctic regions.
Here's a whirlwind course in Peru history. Sent by the King of Spain, in the early 16th century, Senor Francisco Pizarro destroyed the Inca Empire. At the very end, in the hope of his life being spared, the Incan King gave Pizarro a large room of gold and two smaller rooms of silver. This did not satisfy Pizarro; he had the Incan king killed soon thereafter.
The Incan capital was in the mountain city of Cuzco. Pizarro thought it was too far from the coast, searched for the best site and founded the city of Lima in 1535. He built a grand Presidential Palace and a large Cathedral in the process. The citizens were uprising, Pizarro was killed in 1541; King Charles of Spain then sent a viceroy who summarily was killed by the revolutionaries. For his last hope, the King sent a priest, Carbazal, another unfortunate victim. That was the last of the Spanish rulers but their cultural imprint lasts even until today, 2013. Their language and architecture survives, even with the slight Moorish influences as can be found in Spain.
Peru was plagued by pirates for centuries and also suffered through earthquakes.
In 1930, The Peruvians still enjoyed their bullfights and cock fights, but were starting to appreciate various athletic contests. Transport of goods was mostly left to llamas and donkeys, sure-footed beasts in the Andes mountains. Copper and silver were extensively mined and exported. Engineers from North America operated plants and refineries in the oil fields. Hundreds of years before the Inca civilization arrived, a prehistoric culture terraced farms; they were still be used by the Peruvians. At that time, the city of Lima had electricity and the potential electric power of the Andes was recognized but not yet fully developed.
There were automobiles in Lima in 1930 but few decent roads. "There are only a few hundred miles in the whole republic that can be considered as passably good roads for automobiles, though the government has recently begun an extensive road-building program" (photo caption, p. 776).
It was prohibited to bring matches and lighters into Peru. "One of the nation's greatest needs is the establishment of new irrigation projects, through which many new areas may be redeemed from the desert (which reaches nearly to the beach in many places). Yet this costs money. The government decided that its smokers should finance these projects. . .every time one lights a cigarette or cigar he is helping to make a new acre of land contribute to the country's well-being" (p. 773).
Towards the end of his adventure, the author found a sculpture done in clay which dated to the Stone Age, Pre-Incan time. "It has the high forehead of western Europe, the slant eyes of a Mongolian, the high cheek bones of the Indian, the nose of an ancient Hebrew, the mustache of a Manchu, the mouth of a Turk, and a composite chin. . .What visions it arouses of a man of high intelligence as subject and of a sculptor of unusual ability as artist in ages before the use of metals was known!" (p. 784).
Mr. Showalter concludes that "among archeological traces of civilizations that seem to affirm their kinship alike to Egypt, Greece, Babylon, and Orient, they gather new fascination and arouse new speculations" (p. 784). Were there ancient visits to Peru?
(Personal note: Last Friday I started knitting a 'Ruana' out of blue "100% Peruvian Highland Wool," bought in Seattle last summer. I was surprised then, when my next Nat. Geo. article concerned Lima, Peru! A Ruana is a poncho-like garment found in the Andes mountains. I may post a photo of the ruana, when completed.)
Monday, September 30, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Going to BENGHAZI!
Harriet Chalmers Adams, an author whose account of her Portugal trip (see this blog, July 2, 2013) I have read in the National Geographic Magazine, now gives us an account of her trip to "Cirenaica, Eastern Wing of Italian Libia," in the June, 1930, issue.
Ms. Adams begins, "Acquaintance with the rest of North Africa had led me to anticipate in Cirenaica a country resembling its neighbors. I found it surprisingly different." "Under the 18-year-old veneer of Italian civilization, this strange land remains. . .more primitive than any other country bordering the Mediterranean" (p. 689). So, in 1930, 'Libia' (now Libya) was a colony of Italy! I was also surprised.
"Bengasi (now Benghazi) is the largest town and seat of government of Cirenaica, which is independent from its big Libian sister, Tripolitania. The Italians claim in Libia a territory more than seven times as large as that of Italy proper, with its Eastern wing, Cirenaica, occupying about one-third of this area" (p. 689). In 1930, Bengasi had 32,000 inhabitants; the entire country had approximately 200,000 citizens.
The country of Cirenaica is located directly south of the Island of Crete which is directly south of the country of Greece in the Mediterranean Sea. Cirenaica is on the north coast of Africa and has had many, many different governments. It was founded by the Greeks, then conquered by Egyptians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, then by the Arabs in the 7th century A.D. Finally, the Italians won the political rights to the country, but it cost them dearly. The Italian government was Fascist in 1930.
While reading this, I was hoping the article would shed some light on a few questions I had concerning the Benghazi area, since it has been in the international news for the last year. First, why do the people seem to be so violent? Second, exactly how far away was American help during the September 2012 attack on our Embassy?
Ms. Adams explains the operations of a particular Moslem sect. "The Senussi sect has successfully withstood western customs. The Senussi are not a race or a tribe, but a fiercely religious and fanatical brotherhood with political power. The order, founded by a descendent of the Prophet, born in Algeria in 1787, swept from Morocco to Arabia and south across the Sahara. . .It has been estimated that the conquest of Libia cost Italy 100,000 men and a billion dollars. . .The Senussi leader was given control of tribal affairs in the desert, and the promise that Western innovations would not be thrust upon his people. In return he agreed to keep peace on Italian and British outposts and permit unrestricted commerce" (p. 710). The truce took place in 1917.
On the northern coast of Cirenaica, east of Bengasi, was the city of Derna. Surprise! It is "linked with American history, for during the war between the United States and Tripoli, in 1805, the Stars and Stripes waved for a short time over its battlements" (p. 726).
In 1930, Cirenaica's chief agricultural product was barley; it was largely exported to Europe. Sponges from the waters of the coast were the second 'crop' harvested; sponge divers were all Greek. There are no hills that would qualify as 'mountains' in the country but there is a vast desert. Numerous oases with their wells and palm trees formed a chain of life in the desert. There are many Roman ruins in coastal areas. The author found part of the amazing Roman road with wagon and chariot tracks rutting the stones. The Roman Baths at Guba were quite extensive.
As you can imagine in a desert region, camels were very important. "Camels do a large share of Libia's work. The animals start preparation for their life of toil when about four years old. When full grown, they readily carry from 300 to 500 pounds" (photo caption, p. 723).
Ms. Adams talked to an Italian engineer about Italy's plans for Cirenaica. "Here, where the Greeks of old developed the Garden of North Africa, which our ancestors, the Romans, later called their granary, we shall again make this old-new land bloom" (p. 725). So much for dreams and hopes and plans of colonial governments!
Question #1: answered; the 'Brotherhood' has a long history of violence in Libya. Question #2: answered; Benghazi is so close to the American Navy bases in Italy, not to mention the fleet and air support in the Mediterranean, utter destruction was a viable option. Yet. . .no defensive response was chosen by the present American administration.
Ms. Adams begins, "Acquaintance with the rest of North Africa had led me to anticipate in Cirenaica a country resembling its neighbors. I found it surprisingly different." "Under the 18-year-old veneer of Italian civilization, this strange land remains. . .more primitive than any other country bordering the Mediterranean" (p. 689). So, in 1930, 'Libia' (now Libya) was a colony of Italy! I was also surprised.
"Bengasi (now Benghazi) is the largest town and seat of government of Cirenaica, which is independent from its big Libian sister, Tripolitania. The Italians claim in Libia a territory more than seven times as large as that of Italy proper, with its Eastern wing, Cirenaica, occupying about one-third of this area" (p. 689). In 1930, Bengasi had 32,000 inhabitants; the entire country had approximately 200,000 citizens.
The country of Cirenaica is located directly south of the Island of Crete which is directly south of the country of Greece in the Mediterranean Sea. Cirenaica is on the north coast of Africa and has had many, many different governments. It was founded by the Greeks, then conquered by Egyptians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, then by the Arabs in the 7th century A.D. Finally, the Italians won the political rights to the country, but it cost them dearly. The Italian government was Fascist in 1930.
While reading this, I was hoping the article would shed some light on a few questions I had concerning the Benghazi area, since it has been in the international news for the last year. First, why do the people seem to be so violent? Second, exactly how far away was American help during the September 2012 attack on our Embassy?
Ms. Adams explains the operations of a particular Moslem sect. "The Senussi sect has successfully withstood western customs. The Senussi are not a race or a tribe, but a fiercely religious and fanatical brotherhood with political power. The order, founded by a descendent of the Prophet, born in Algeria in 1787, swept from Morocco to Arabia and south across the Sahara. . .It has been estimated that the conquest of Libia cost Italy 100,000 men and a billion dollars. . .The Senussi leader was given control of tribal affairs in the desert, and the promise that Western innovations would not be thrust upon his people. In return he agreed to keep peace on Italian and British outposts and permit unrestricted commerce" (p. 710). The truce took place in 1917.
On the northern coast of Cirenaica, east of Bengasi, was the city of Derna. Surprise! It is "linked with American history, for during the war between the United States and Tripoli, in 1805, the Stars and Stripes waved for a short time over its battlements" (p. 726).
In 1930, Cirenaica's chief agricultural product was barley; it was largely exported to Europe. Sponges from the waters of the coast were the second 'crop' harvested; sponge divers were all Greek. There are no hills that would qualify as 'mountains' in the country but there is a vast desert. Numerous oases with their wells and palm trees formed a chain of life in the desert. There are many Roman ruins in coastal areas. The author found part of the amazing Roman road with wagon and chariot tracks rutting the stones. The Roman Baths at Guba were quite extensive.
As you can imagine in a desert region, camels were very important. "Camels do a large share of Libia's work. The animals start preparation for their life of toil when about four years old. When full grown, they readily carry from 300 to 500 pounds" (photo caption, p. 723).
Ms. Adams talked to an Italian engineer about Italy's plans for Cirenaica. "Here, where the Greeks of old developed the Garden of North Africa, which our ancestors, the Romans, later called their granary, we shall again make this old-new land bloom" (p. 725). So much for dreams and hopes and plans of colonial governments!
Question #1: answered; the 'Brotherhood' has a long history of violence in Libya. Question #2: answered; Benghazi is so close to the American Navy bases in Italy, not to mention the fleet and air support in the Mediterranean, utter destruction was a viable option. Yet. . .no defensive response was chosen by the present American administration.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Around the World in 21 Days in a Blimp
In 1930, air travel was new and exciting. New routes were being established first, for mail delivery, then for passengers. We in 2013 are familiar with the "Goodyear Blimp," used for advertising in super-ball games but known to be unsafe and slow for commercial feasibility.
Dr. Hugo Eckener dared to circumnavigate the globe in 1929 in a blimp, called a 'dirigible' or 'Zeppelin." "The First Airship Flight Around the World: Dr. Hugo Eckener Tells of an Epochal Geographic Achievement upon the Occasion of the Bestowal of the National Geographic Society's Special Gold Medal," National Geographic Magazine, June, 1930, is the story of his journey.
When bestowing the Gold Medal on Dr Eckener, Dr. Gilbert Grosvenor, the President of the National Geographic Society, remarked, "The members of this Society appreciate that aviation has been of very special service to geography. Aircraft are the instruments of exploration, of aerial mapping, of aerial photography" (p. 655). Perhaps some of modern readers value the service of photography from space. Aviation did it first!
Dr. Eckener's teacher was "Count Zeppelin . .who was a ballonist with General Grant's Army in Virginia. The "Graf Zeppelin" was the name of Eckener's dirigible, lodged in a United States Navy hanger in New Jersey with a smaller Navy dirigible.
Preparations for the trip were massive. "Lifting cells of the Graf hold hydrogen, while the fuel cells take ethane (gas). . .3,500 gallons of gasoline (as auxiliary fuel) and 1,100 gallons of oil were pumped aboard" (p. 658). Note: isn't a wonder the blimp could take off at all with that load!
The purpose of attempting an around-the-world trip was, "the desire, above all, to learn what the capabilities of an airship are; how to make the utmost use of them, so that regular air traffic may be possible in various zones and climates" (p. 660). "Now in this proposed around-the-world flight, we saw a chance to answer the question whether the airship was really only a 'fine-weather airship' or whether it could fly also under most difficult air conditions" (p 661).
The trip started in Lakehurst, New Jersey, U.S.A., and sailed directly to Friedrichshafen, Germany, Dr. Eckener's home city, then headed west over Eastern Europe and the vast wasteland of Siberia to Tokyo, Japan, then on to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and finally landing back in New Jersey. Stops had been made in Germany, Tokyo and Los Angeles. The blimp flew 19,500 miles!
The dangers they encountered were many. They had to change their planned route to avoid inclement weather yet were caught up in storms. The charts they had underestimated the heights of mountains and, in Siberia, they barely cleared a mountain by only 300 feet. Vast areas of Siberia were swamps; if they had to make an emergency landing, they never could have survived and help was out of the question.
The blimp team, of which Dr. Eckener's son was a member, proudly took many photos of lands never before seen from the air. They were amazed by the scarcity of populated areas and the wide virgin forests. My conclusion is: no one would dare attempt to replicate this flight today!
Dr. Hugo Eckener dared to circumnavigate the globe in 1929 in a blimp, called a 'dirigible' or 'Zeppelin." "The First Airship Flight Around the World: Dr. Hugo Eckener Tells of an Epochal Geographic Achievement upon the Occasion of the Bestowal of the National Geographic Society's Special Gold Medal," National Geographic Magazine, June, 1930, is the story of his journey.
When bestowing the Gold Medal on Dr Eckener, Dr. Gilbert Grosvenor, the President of the National Geographic Society, remarked, "The members of this Society appreciate that aviation has been of very special service to geography. Aircraft are the instruments of exploration, of aerial mapping, of aerial photography" (p. 655). Perhaps some of modern readers value the service of photography from space. Aviation did it first!
Dr. Eckener's teacher was "Count Zeppelin . .who was a ballonist with General Grant's Army in Virginia. The "Graf Zeppelin" was the name of Eckener's dirigible, lodged in a United States Navy hanger in New Jersey with a smaller Navy dirigible.
Preparations for the trip were massive. "Lifting cells of the Graf hold hydrogen, while the fuel cells take ethane (gas). . .3,500 gallons of gasoline (as auxiliary fuel) and 1,100 gallons of oil were pumped aboard" (p. 658). Note: isn't a wonder the blimp could take off at all with that load!
The purpose of attempting an around-the-world trip was, "the desire, above all, to learn what the capabilities of an airship are; how to make the utmost use of them, so that regular air traffic may be possible in various zones and climates" (p. 660). "Now in this proposed around-the-world flight, we saw a chance to answer the question whether the airship was really only a 'fine-weather airship' or whether it could fly also under most difficult air conditions" (p 661).
The trip started in Lakehurst, New Jersey, U.S.A., and sailed directly to Friedrichshafen, Germany, Dr. Eckener's home city, then headed west over Eastern Europe and the vast wasteland of Siberia to Tokyo, Japan, then on to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and finally landing back in New Jersey. Stops had been made in Germany, Tokyo and Los Angeles. The blimp flew 19,500 miles!
The dangers they encountered were many. They had to change their planned route to avoid inclement weather yet were caught up in storms. The charts they had underestimated the heights of mountains and, in Siberia, they barely cleared a mountain by only 300 feet. Vast areas of Siberia were swamps; if they had to make an emergency landing, they never could have survived and help was out of the question.
The blimp team, of which Dr. Eckener's son was a member, proudly took many photos of lands never before seen from the air. They were amazed by the scarcity of populated areas and the wide virgin forests. My conclusion is: no one would dare attempt to replicate this flight today!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Of Flowers and Ants
It is always pleasant to view an eight-page color photo section preceding a major article, especially those of the beautiful Canary Islands' art and architecture. In "Hunting for Plants in the Canary Islands", an article in the May, 1930, issue of National Geographic Magazine, Mr. David Fairchild has described some of the history, biology, culture, geography and products of these islands.
The Canaries are located in the Atlantic Ocean off the northeast coast of Africa. "One thinks of the Canaries as a tiny archipelago, but as a matter of fact it is nearly half as large as the Hawaiian Archipelago and has twice as many inhabitants. It looks so small on the map that one imagines one could explore it in a summer's afternoon. . .The largest island, Tenerife, is almost the size of Rhode Island" (p. 607).
Mr. Fairchild, a native of the State of Kansas, United States of America, and his son, Graham, "had come over from Casablanca, Morocco, to see if any of the 335 species of indigenous plants which still grow wild in the barrancos and nowhere else. . .might be worthy of introduction into the gardens and farmlands of our great Southwest and South or perhaps prove choice greenhouse plants for popularization" (p. 607).
FYI: Barrancos are "great, dry river beds with precipitous sides and terraced plantations wherever terraces could be built" (p. 623).
The author, a botanist, joined the Allison V. Armour Expedition of which Dr. William M. Wheeler, an entomologist, was also a member. Dr. Wheeler had a habit of collecting species of ants wherever he went and was delighted with the many and varied specimens in the Canaries.
Spain conquered the islands in the fifteenth century; their language and culture remain, with slight Moorish influences. One major industry is fishing and another cash crop is mild-flavored Chinese dwarf bananas, most of which are exported to Europe. Chief cities in 1930 were Santa Cruz, the capital, Santa Domingo and La Laguna.
The islands are a geological product of volcanoes with cold, black lava covering much of the islands. The beaches have black lava sand. Due to the difficulty of digging in lava, graves are built above ground. All of the volcanoes except one were extinct in 1930. The tallest volcano, Pico de Teide (means 'Peak of Hell') is more than 12,000 feet high and can be seen 150 miles out to sea on a clear day. It was slightly active in 1930.
FYI: Native canary birds are green. . ."The more familiar variety, raised in Germany, are yellow" (photo caption, p. 628).
The team was greatly interested in a particular use of many of the islands' flowers in the annual religious festival of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ). This is observed with "an elaborate procession and by the making of huge, beautifully designed mosaics of varicolored flowers, seeds, and stones. . .in front of City Hall" and the Cathedral, and lining the street of La Laguna (p. 615). "Every street introduces a different design" (p. 619). "When artists have made their final arrangements of petals and blossoms, the molds are deftly withdrawn, leaving a completed carpet of flowers covering the street. This is carefully sprinkled with water to keep it fresh until evening, where the procession will come to tread over it" (photo caption, p. 621).
Mr. Fairchild was pleased to gather many seeds of the native plants he examined. He reports, "Few corners of the world can command such variety of mountain and valley, forest and desert, landscape and sea view, as these nature-favored islands of the Atlantic" (photo caption, p. 636). He and Graham left the Canary Islands thinking that the islands offer, summer or winter, "a temperate climate and superb scenery to the tourists of the world who are looking for new and quiet places to visit" (p. 652).
The Canaries are located in the Atlantic Ocean off the northeast coast of Africa. "One thinks of the Canaries as a tiny archipelago, but as a matter of fact it is nearly half as large as the Hawaiian Archipelago and has twice as many inhabitants. It looks so small on the map that one imagines one could explore it in a summer's afternoon. . .The largest island, Tenerife, is almost the size of Rhode Island" (p. 607).
Mr. Fairchild, a native of the State of Kansas, United States of America, and his son, Graham, "had come over from Casablanca, Morocco, to see if any of the 335 species of indigenous plants which still grow wild in the barrancos and nowhere else. . .might be worthy of introduction into the gardens and farmlands of our great Southwest and South or perhaps prove choice greenhouse plants for popularization" (p. 607).
FYI: Barrancos are "great, dry river beds with precipitous sides and terraced plantations wherever terraces could be built" (p. 623).
The author, a botanist, joined the Allison V. Armour Expedition of which Dr. William M. Wheeler, an entomologist, was also a member. Dr. Wheeler had a habit of collecting species of ants wherever he went and was delighted with the many and varied specimens in the Canaries.
Spain conquered the islands in the fifteenth century; their language and culture remain, with slight Moorish influences. One major industry is fishing and another cash crop is mild-flavored Chinese dwarf bananas, most of which are exported to Europe. Chief cities in 1930 were Santa Cruz, the capital, Santa Domingo and La Laguna.
The islands are a geological product of volcanoes with cold, black lava covering much of the islands. The beaches have black lava sand. Due to the difficulty of digging in lava, graves are built above ground. All of the volcanoes except one were extinct in 1930. The tallest volcano, Pico de Teide (means 'Peak of Hell') is more than 12,000 feet high and can be seen 150 miles out to sea on a clear day. It was slightly active in 1930.
FYI: Native canary birds are green. . ."The more familiar variety, raised in Germany, are yellow" (photo caption, p. 628).
The team was greatly interested in a particular use of many of the islands' flowers in the annual religious festival of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ). This is observed with "an elaborate procession and by the making of huge, beautifully designed mosaics of varicolored flowers, seeds, and stones. . .in front of City Hall" and the Cathedral, and lining the street of La Laguna (p. 615). "Every street introduces a different design" (p. 619). "When artists have made their final arrangements of petals and blossoms, the molds are deftly withdrawn, leaving a completed carpet of flowers covering the street. This is carefully sprinkled with water to keep it fresh until evening, where the procession will come to tread over it" (photo caption, p. 621).
Mr. Fairchild was pleased to gather many seeds of the native plants he examined. He reports, "Few corners of the world can command such variety of mountain and valley, forest and desert, landscape and sea view, as these nature-favored islands of the Atlantic" (photo caption, p. 636). He and Graham left the Canary Islands thinking that the islands offer, summer or winter, "a temperate climate and superb scenery to the tourists of the world who are looking for new and quiet places to visit" (p. 652).
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
A Former President Travels
William Howard Taft was a former United States President, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, first Governor General of the Philippine Islands, and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Geographic Society for many years. The following article, revised by Mr. Taft for publication, is a summary of two addresses to the National Geographic Society. Presenting: "Some Impressions of 150,000 miles of Travel," National Geographic Magazine, May, 1930.
Mr. Taft recalls, "I have traveled a good deal. . .I have been twice to the Philippines and back; I have also been twice around the world, in going to and from the Philippines, and in those four trips I visited Japan five times, Siberia and Russia once, China three times, and Rome once; and then in other trips I visited the Isthmus of Panama seven times, Cuba twice, and Porto Rico once. . .Such an experience has enabled me to breathe in the atmosphere and environment of many countries and many nationalities and has, I hope, given me a less provincial view of many international questions than if I had stayed at home and persisted in an Americanism so narrow and intense as to be indisposed to learn anything, either of government or society, from the experiences of other people" (p. 526).
Bravo! He is my hero, a true Citizen of the World!
We are treated to an account of the difficulties Mr. Taft encountered as the first Civil Governor of the Philippine Islands in 1901. The American Army had to turn over its power to Mr. Taft and the commanding general thought it was punishment for a bad job. This controversy did, however, work in Mr. Taft's favor as it helped endear him to the Philippine native peoples. "The largest of the Philippine Islands has an area about equal to that of Denmark, Holland, and Belgium combined. In its mountain section, are waterfalls, gorges, lakes, and forests of great beauty" (photo caption, p. 539).
There were serious health threats in the Philippines at that time: epidemics of cholera, plague, and smallpox. "It is wonderful how used one gets to the proximity of such danger and thinks nothing of it" (p. 547). He gives the Philippine government the right to take credit for improving the health conditions.
The next country Mr. Taft describes is Japan. "Japan appears to visitors like a great garden Parks are everywhere and attractive arrangements of trees, shrubs, ponds, lagoons, and bowlders combine to create delightful effects. The Shiba Temple and park, in the capital are particularly beautiful at cherry-blossom time" (photo caption, p. 546).
My dear dad, Reuben, was stationed in Yokohama 1955-57. Then he retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. The rest of the family, mom, my brothers and I, stayed in Louisville, Kentucky. When he returned, he brought us presents and told us, "I've been talking to a priest. I'm a Catholic now!" I still have the beautiful jewelry he brought. But he never told us much about Japan.
Mr. Taft, as Secretary of War, met with the Emperor of Japan several times and was impressed with the fine welcome he and Mrs. Taft were given. "I made a speech (in 1907) which was well received in Japan and this country, pointing out not only the impossibility but the absurdity, of a war between Japan and the United States" (p. 569). How tragic this sentiment was not held by the Japanese in 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
In Russia, "Vladivostok is the Soviet Union's chief port on the Pacific" (photo caption, p. 570). The Kremlin in Moscow: "here is set in motion the machinery which has made Russia a testing ground for what has hitherto been only a theory of economy, society, and politics" (photo caption, p. 574).
Mr. Taft's addresses were very interesting and read like a novel. I repeat: Bravo! He is my hero!
Mr. Taft recalls, "I have traveled a good deal. . .I have been twice to the Philippines and back; I have also been twice around the world, in going to and from the Philippines, and in those four trips I visited Japan five times, Siberia and Russia once, China three times, and Rome once; and then in other trips I visited the Isthmus of Panama seven times, Cuba twice, and Porto Rico once. . .Such an experience has enabled me to breathe in the atmosphere and environment of many countries and many nationalities and has, I hope, given me a less provincial view of many international questions than if I had stayed at home and persisted in an Americanism so narrow and intense as to be indisposed to learn anything, either of government or society, from the experiences of other people" (p. 526).
Bravo! He is my hero, a true Citizen of the World!
We are treated to an account of the difficulties Mr. Taft encountered as the first Civil Governor of the Philippine Islands in 1901. The American Army had to turn over its power to Mr. Taft and the commanding general thought it was punishment for a bad job. This controversy did, however, work in Mr. Taft's favor as it helped endear him to the Philippine native peoples. "The largest of the Philippine Islands has an area about equal to that of Denmark, Holland, and Belgium combined. In its mountain section, are waterfalls, gorges, lakes, and forests of great beauty" (photo caption, p. 539).
There were serious health threats in the Philippines at that time: epidemics of cholera, plague, and smallpox. "It is wonderful how used one gets to the proximity of such danger and thinks nothing of it" (p. 547). He gives the Philippine government the right to take credit for improving the health conditions.
The next country Mr. Taft describes is Japan. "Japan appears to visitors like a great garden Parks are everywhere and attractive arrangements of trees, shrubs, ponds, lagoons, and bowlders combine to create delightful effects. The Shiba Temple and park, in the capital are particularly beautiful at cherry-blossom time" (photo caption, p. 546).
My dear dad, Reuben, was stationed in Yokohama 1955-57. Then he retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. The rest of the family, mom, my brothers and I, stayed in Louisville, Kentucky. When he returned, he brought us presents and told us, "I've been talking to a priest. I'm a Catholic now!" I still have the beautiful jewelry he brought. But he never told us much about Japan.
Mr. Taft, as Secretary of War, met with the Emperor of Japan several times and was impressed with the fine welcome he and Mrs. Taft were given. "I made a speech (in 1907) which was well received in Japan and this country, pointing out not only the impossibility but the absurdity, of a war between Japan and the United States" (p. 569). How tragic this sentiment was not held by the Japanese in 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
In Russia, "Vladivostok is the Soviet Union's chief port on the Pacific" (photo caption, p. 570). The Kremlin in Moscow: "here is set in motion the machinery which has made Russia a testing ground for what has hitherto been only a theory of economy, society, and politics" (photo caption, p. 574).
Mr. Taft's addresses were very interesting and read like a novel. I repeat: Bravo! He is my hero!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
The French in Canada
It is a beautiful way to begin an article in National Geographic Magazine, an eight-page color photo section. Mr. William Dow Boutwell writes in the April, 1930, issue, a short history of "Quebec, Capital of French Canada."
"Not until one ferries out to the front gate, near the Isle of Orleans, turns about, and steams up to the city from down river - not until then can one feel the full grandeur of Quebec. To do this is to approach the rock as did the first white men." Jacques Cartier, a frenchman, discovered the 1535 site of Quebec. One year later, he erected "a great cross, bearing the legend, "Francis the First, by the Grace of God, King of the French" (p. 516).
The French owned not only Canada but close to half what would become the United States of America at one time. "Everyone who lives in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, and Manitoba must regard Quebec as once the capital of his country" (p. 521). New France once covered land down to the gulf of Mexico.
The inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, had his summer home and his laboratories on the shores of a lake near Quebec, Bras d'Or Lake. He was also one of the founders of the National Geographic Society (photo caption, p. 514).
Quebec was a large, important city in 1930. Major products used in Canada and exported included wood from the forests, aluminum and gold from mines. Power from the St. Lawrence River seemed to be limitless.
This city in the North particularly delighted in winter sports, a love that persists today. "Tobagganning down the triple chutes of Citadel Hill, skiing, bob-sleighing, snowshoeing, skating, curling, and other winter sports are making Quebec a North American St. Moritz. At night carnivals the snowshoe clubs march, their members dressed in uniforms as varicolored as those of Christmas carolers" (photo caption, p. 509). Perhaps one summer soon I'll visit Quebec and see all the historic and modern places myself. (I find winter travel most burdensome!)
"Not until one ferries out to the front gate, near the Isle of Orleans, turns about, and steams up to the city from down river - not until then can one feel the full grandeur of Quebec. To do this is to approach the rock as did the first white men." Jacques Cartier, a frenchman, discovered the 1535 site of Quebec. One year later, he erected "a great cross, bearing the legend, "Francis the First, by the Grace of God, King of the French" (p. 516).
The French owned not only Canada but close to half what would become the United States of America at one time. "Everyone who lives in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ontario, and Manitoba must regard Quebec as once the capital of his country" (p. 521). New France once covered land down to the gulf of Mexico.
The inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, had his summer home and his laboratories on the shores of a lake near Quebec, Bras d'Or Lake. He was also one of the founders of the National Geographic Society (photo caption, p. 514).
Quebec was a large, important city in 1930. Major products used in Canada and exported included wood from the forests, aluminum and gold from mines. Power from the St. Lawrence River seemed to be limitless.
This city in the North particularly delighted in winter sports, a love that persists today. "Tobagganning down the triple chutes of Citadel Hill, skiing, bob-sleighing, snowshoeing, skating, curling, and other winter sports are making Quebec a North American St. Moritz. At night carnivals the snowshoe clubs march, their members dressed in uniforms as varicolored as those of Christmas carolers" (photo caption, p. 509). Perhaps one summer soon I'll visit Quebec and see all the historic and modern places myself. (I find winter travel most burdensome!)
Monday, September 23, 2013
The Good Wife in Africa
Mrs. William H. Hoover was the wife of a scientist from New York (U.S.A.) in 1930. The couple had an 18-month-old daughter, Betty. Mr. Hoover was starting a three-year project for The National Geographic Society and The Smithsonian Institute on a mountain in South Africa. Mrs. Hoover and Betty accompanied Mr. Hoover. She chronicled their adventures in "Keeping House for the Shepherds of the Sun," National Geographic Magazine, April, 1930.
Along with observatories in Chile and California, the purpose of this expedition was to "report daily variations in the heat of the sun that reaches the earth. Every activity on the face of the earth is dependent on the sun's radiation" (p. 483). Two scientists, along with local help, planned to "set up and operate a solar-radiation observatory on Mount Brukkaros, a lonely volcanic mountain that rises from an arid plain of South West Africa" (p. 483).
After a long journey to Africa, Betty and Mrs. Hoover stayed in the town of Keetmanshoop for ten weeks while their house on the side of the mountain was made ready. They enjoyed the company of many new friends in the town. "Only business people have telephones; so rather than trudge to the other end of the town through the heat and glare and sand to invite your friend to morning tea, you send your house-boy with a note" (p. 486). Every household had at least one servant. As the temperature in town frequently surpassed 100 degrees, Mrs. Hoover looked forward to being in the country.
Mrs. Hoover's first problem in her new home involved a cow; she would not go without milk for her child. It was so dry in the district that cows were not giving milk. The scientists bought a suitable cow who refused to go up their mountain; they went to the cow and brought milk up the mountain. Cow #1 apparently was found dead of a snakebite in a short time. Cow #2 readily came up the mountain, gave milk, but broke its leg. Cow #3 worked out well.
Life in a remote location was not easy. "The first seven or eight months were indeed discouraging. The flatness, the dryness, the barenness, the cruelty of that seemingly endless desert plain struck me full force. My heart sank at the idea of three years in this" (p. 486).
Another problem occupied much of their time. Water was the expedition's biggest problem. Not enough rain could be caught from the roofs to supply the family. Donkeys brought two ten-gallon cans of water every day, up the mile-long, blistering trail, from the water hole" (photo caption, p. 488).
There were several amenities the wife/mother enjoyed in her small kitchen. "They had set up the sink with a trap and outlet, although we couldn't have running water. The water was stored in two big forty-gallon cans just outside the kitchen door. We soon got used to stepping outside the door and dipping out what we needed. The gasoline stove was a joy. Wood and coal were out of the question; the donkeys had enough other things to bring up the trail" (p. 491).
Without electricity, there was no refrigerator and no ice. For food, "we had to use lots of tinned things, and cook or eat anything which wouldn't keep, as soon as it arrived. Dried beans and peas, onions, squash, cabbages, and pumpkins were frequently on our menu that first summer" (p. 494).
Finally the freezer they ordered arrived. It had a gasoline motor. "Such a celebration when it was all finished and began to run!" (p. 495). During Christmas, the group heard tales from town of heat 118 degrees in the shade" (p. 493).
Mrs. Hoover had little time for leisure; "The days were busy ones. I had to be Betty's playmate" (p. 495). One adventure involved a leopard. It was stealing chickens from their coop. The men hunted and killed the leopard which was seven feet long. "Our only other dangerous creatures were snakes. The men killed several black ringhals, cobras that spit poison. . .Once we found one coiled in Betty's doorway. We screened the house immediately (p. 503). . .we always keep a supply of snake-bite serum on hand" (p. 505).
In addition to the severe heat, the area had a rainy season during which the local rivers became impassable. After a storm lasting four days, there was relief. "On a beautiful, clear, crisp morning, a great calm after one of these gales, we awoke with a feeling that everything had relaxed during the night. . .We went out on the stoop for some deep breaths. On the ridge opposite the house were three beautiful cliff springers silhouetted against the sky. They are the swiftest and most graceful bucks of all, their eyes the softest and most beautiful of any animal I know" (p. 506). Mrs. Hoover enjoyed the sun and dreamed of home in New York. Then suddenly she realized, "I had become acclimated!" (p. 506).
No longer will I take for granted my home and my lifestyle! And I look forward to the official report of the Mount Brukkaros expedition in a future National Geographic Magazine!
Along with observatories in Chile and California, the purpose of this expedition was to "report daily variations in the heat of the sun that reaches the earth. Every activity on the face of the earth is dependent on the sun's radiation" (p. 483). Two scientists, along with local help, planned to "set up and operate a solar-radiation observatory on Mount Brukkaros, a lonely volcanic mountain that rises from an arid plain of South West Africa" (p. 483).
After a long journey to Africa, Betty and Mrs. Hoover stayed in the town of Keetmanshoop for ten weeks while their house on the side of the mountain was made ready. They enjoyed the company of many new friends in the town. "Only business people have telephones; so rather than trudge to the other end of the town through the heat and glare and sand to invite your friend to morning tea, you send your house-boy with a note" (p. 486). Every household had at least one servant. As the temperature in town frequently surpassed 100 degrees, Mrs. Hoover looked forward to being in the country.
Mrs. Hoover's first problem in her new home involved a cow; she would not go without milk for her child. It was so dry in the district that cows were not giving milk. The scientists bought a suitable cow who refused to go up their mountain; they went to the cow and brought milk up the mountain. Cow #1 apparently was found dead of a snakebite in a short time. Cow #2 readily came up the mountain, gave milk, but broke its leg. Cow #3 worked out well.
Life in a remote location was not easy. "The first seven or eight months were indeed discouraging. The flatness, the dryness, the barenness, the cruelty of that seemingly endless desert plain struck me full force. My heart sank at the idea of three years in this" (p. 486).
Another problem occupied much of their time. Water was the expedition's biggest problem. Not enough rain could be caught from the roofs to supply the family. Donkeys brought two ten-gallon cans of water every day, up the mile-long, blistering trail, from the water hole" (photo caption, p. 488).
There were several amenities the wife/mother enjoyed in her small kitchen. "They had set up the sink with a trap and outlet, although we couldn't have running water. The water was stored in two big forty-gallon cans just outside the kitchen door. We soon got used to stepping outside the door and dipping out what we needed. The gasoline stove was a joy. Wood and coal were out of the question; the donkeys had enough other things to bring up the trail" (p. 491).
Without electricity, there was no refrigerator and no ice. For food, "we had to use lots of tinned things, and cook or eat anything which wouldn't keep, as soon as it arrived. Dried beans and peas, onions, squash, cabbages, and pumpkins were frequently on our menu that first summer" (p. 494).
Finally the freezer they ordered arrived. It had a gasoline motor. "Such a celebration when it was all finished and began to run!" (p. 495). During Christmas, the group heard tales from town of heat 118 degrees in the shade" (p. 493).
Mrs. Hoover had little time for leisure; "The days were busy ones. I had to be Betty's playmate" (p. 495). One adventure involved a leopard. It was stealing chickens from their coop. The men hunted and killed the leopard which was seven feet long. "Our only other dangerous creatures were snakes. The men killed several black ringhals, cobras that spit poison. . .Once we found one coiled in Betty's doorway. We screened the house immediately (p. 503). . .we always keep a supply of snake-bite serum on hand" (p. 505).
In addition to the severe heat, the area had a rainy season during which the local rivers became impassable. After a storm lasting four days, there was relief. "On a beautiful, clear, crisp morning, a great calm after one of these gales, we awoke with a feeling that everything had relaxed during the night. . .We went out on the stoop for some deep breaths. On the ridge opposite the house were three beautiful cliff springers silhouetted against the sky. They are the swiftest and most graceful bucks of all, their eyes the softest and most beautiful of any animal I know" (p. 506). Mrs. Hoover enjoyed the sun and dreamed of home in New York. Then suddenly she realized, "I had become acclimated!" (p. 506).
No longer will I take for granted my home and my lifestyle! And I look forward to the official report of the Mount Brukkaros expedition in a future National Geographic Magazine!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Back to Louisiana!
What comes to mind when you hear, "Louisiana?" Bayous, Spanish moss, New Orleans with Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras? Louisiana is so much more! In the April, 1930, issue of National Geographic Magazine, Mr. Ralph A. Graves exposes "Louisiana, Land of Perpetual Romance." He does a good job of telling us the history, politics, agriculture, manufacturing, and culture of this most diverse State in America. It is located on the Gulf of Mexico, shares borders with the States of Mississippi in the east, Arkansas in the north, and Texas in the west. "Pirates and smugglers once haunted the peaceful waters of Contraband Bayou (near Lake Charles)" (p. 435).
Recently, my friend, Peggy, and I, passed through Louisiana, staying in New Orleans briefly, on our way from a fabulous driving trip to Florida, Texas, then home to Kentucky. If I had to name a word for Louisiana, I would immediately say, "Water!" It is everywhere!
How Louisiana entered the United States: "I have given England a rival," said Napoleon when, in 1803, he signed the sales agreement transferring to the young American republic, for $15,000,000, an empire of 827,000 square miles, comprising the Louisiana Territory. Only a little more than a twentieth part of that territory retains the original name, but what a share it represents in the wealth, the commerce, and the romance of the nation!" (p. 393).
Important agricultural products, manufacturing, and natural resources: In 1930, Louisiana exported a large percentage of the sugar used in America. In fact, the process for refining sugar cane into granulated sugar was invented there. Rice was another prime product; this was not grown by hand, as it was in the Asian countries, it was all mechanized. "From the time that the seed is sown until the cereal reaches the ultimate consumer, there is no need for rice, as grown, harvested, and milled in Louisiana, to be touched by human hands" (photo caption, p. 438). There were incredibly large salt mines, multiple oil derricks, and natural gas wells. For hundreds of years, the fur industry brought jobs to the trappers and their families and enriched the State. Even alligators were trapped to sell their skins. It's hard to believe that the State of Louisiana produced more furs than did the entire country of Canada, but it was true in 1930! The shrimp industry was also prominent. Crawfish and frogs were caught by nets. Spanish moss: it was processed and the fibers were used in upholstering.
The Land: The Louisiana political land divisions are called 'parishes,' corresponding to other states,' 'counties.' Since most of New Orleans and surrounding land is below the level of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, levees had to be built to keep the area from flooding. Another problem was the vast tonnage of silt daily deposited by the river as it flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. These two problems have kept the Army Corps of Engineers busy for more than one hundred years now! They've done a great job: in 1930, New Orleans was the second busiest port in America.
Education: Louisiana in 1930 had one of the lowest rates of literacy in the country. Why? The author analyzed that it might be due to the schedules of the schoolchildren. In districts in which the children had to help harvest strawberries, they went to school from July to March. When they were expected to help tan furs, they attended school from March to October. I checked to see if they had improved this: the state started addressing this problem and, in 2003, a great improvement had been made. Louisiana shared the 16% illiterate category with the States of Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico. Texas, Florida, New York, and California had higher rates. The lowest rates of 6% were in Minnesota, New Hampshire, and North Dakota. My beloved State of Kentucky also shared this problem with Louisiana and has also improved to the 12% illiterate category; 19 states are worse than Kentucky now (a notable improvement!). (Statistics from U.S. Department of Education, 2003).
Now for New Orleans! "The whole country looks to New Orleans to preserve that carnival which has been and which continues to be the model for all such elaborate funmaking, parading, and joyous dancing elsewhere" (p. 475).
Not only is there a problem maintaining the levees because most of the city is lower than the Mississippi River, the city has to pump out the rain water. The tallest buildings of 1930 had wooden piles sunk into the mud/dirt below ground level. They were sinking into the mud! "Apparently the limit of safety has been reached, and we are not apt to see here a race skyward for preeminence, such as is now being staged on rock-based Manhattan Island" (p. 474). I will attest that this problem has been solved.
Mr. Graves appraises the effect of New Orleans on travelers: "Few visitors who come under the spell of New Orleans are inclined to think of the city in terms of merchandise and manufacture. Here one finds so much that is matchless in its mellowness that solid statistics are as a dull appendix to an absorbing volume of romance and adventure" (p. 478).
Peggy and I spent a long time leisurely walking the entire inside perimeter of the cathedral, admiring the stained glass windows, the architecture, and praying in the holy atmosphere. Parking is a big problem in the city, as you can imagine, but we started early and found a city parking lot directly across from the church. Up some stairs in the parking lot is the river! We sat on a bench in the sun, listening to a nearby street musician playing his trumpet, watching the parade of ships.
Our author, Mr. Graves, concludes his fine (lengthy) article with a question. "But why attempt to appraise or describe New Orleans? Only a great engineer, a great architect, a great artist, a great philosopher could do the subject justice. And the city is the concentrated spirit and substance of the State" (p. 482). I rather agree! Peggy and I were sad to leave the beautiful city but needed to resume our trip to Texas on Interstate-10. (Please see this blog, June 17, 18 & 19, 2013, for a more detailed account of our time in New Orleans.)
Recently, my friend, Peggy, and I, passed through Louisiana, staying in New Orleans briefly, on our way from a fabulous driving trip to Florida, Texas, then home to Kentucky. If I had to name a word for Louisiana, I would immediately say, "Water!" It is everywhere!
 |
| Peggy at the Louisiana Welcome Center, June, 2013. Note the wet pavement. It rained a lot there! |
Important agricultural products, manufacturing, and natural resources: In 1930, Louisiana exported a large percentage of the sugar used in America. In fact, the process for refining sugar cane into granulated sugar was invented there. Rice was another prime product; this was not grown by hand, as it was in the Asian countries, it was all mechanized. "From the time that the seed is sown until the cereal reaches the ultimate consumer, there is no need for rice, as grown, harvested, and milled in Louisiana, to be touched by human hands" (photo caption, p. 438). There were incredibly large salt mines, multiple oil derricks, and natural gas wells. For hundreds of years, the fur industry brought jobs to the trappers and their families and enriched the State. Even alligators were trapped to sell their skins. It's hard to believe that the State of Louisiana produced more furs than did the entire country of Canada, but it was true in 1930! The shrimp industry was also prominent. Crawfish and frogs were caught by nets. Spanish moss: it was processed and the fibers were used in upholstering.
The Land: The Louisiana political land divisions are called 'parishes,' corresponding to other states,' 'counties.' Since most of New Orleans and surrounding land is below the level of the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, levees had to be built to keep the area from flooding. Another problem was the vast tonnage of silt daily deposited by the river as it flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. These two problems have kept the Army Corps of Engineers busy for more than one hundred years now! They've done a great job: in 1930, New Orleans was the second busiest port in America.
Education: Louisiana in 1930 had one of the lowest rates of literacy in the country. Why? The author analyzed that it might be due to the schedules of the schoolchildren. In districts in which the children had to help harvest strawberries, they went to school from July to March. When they were expected to help tan furs, they attended school from March to October. I checked to see if they had improved this: the state started addressing this problem and, in 2003, a great improvement had been made. Louisiana shared the 16% illiterate category with the States of Hawaii, Nevada, and New Mexico. Texas, Florida, New York, and California had higher rates. The lowest rates of 6% were in Minnesota, New Hampshire, and North Dakota. My beloved State of Kentucky also shared this problem with Louisiana and has also improved to the 12% illiterate category; 19 states are worse than Kentucky now (a notable improvement!). (Statistics from U.S. Department of Education, 2003).
Now for New Orleans! "The whole country looks to New Orleans to preserve that carnival which has been and which continues to be the model for all such elaborate funmaking, parading, and joyous dancing elsewhere" (p. 475).
Not only is there a problem maintaining the levees because most of the city is lower than the Mississippi River, the city has to pump out the rain water. The tallest buildings of 1930 had wooden piles sunk into the mud/dirt below ground level. They were sinking into the mud! "Apparently the limit of safety has been reached, and we are not apt to see here a race skyward for preeminence, such as is now being staged on rock-based Manhattan Island" (p. 474). I will attest that this problem has been solved.
 | |
| First view of the sweeping New Orleans skyline, June 2013. |
 | |
| Night skyline from our hotel room. The pink light at center is the Superdome. |
 | |||
| A beautiful old mansion in the Garden District. |
 | |
| The famous Bourbon Street is quiet except for delivery trucks in the morning. |
 | |
| Statue of Jackson, in Jackson Square, in front of St. Louis Cathedral. |
 | ||
| The magnificent Cathedral of St. Louis, directly in front of Jackson Square, is on "the site selected 210 years ago (in 1720) by Bienville, founder of New Orleans, for the first place to worship in Louisiana" (p. 478). |
 | |
| Main altar inside St. Louis Cathedral. |
 | |
| Statue of the saintly King Louis of France close to rear entrance of Cathedral. |
 | |
| The Mighty Mississippi River swiftly passing New Orleans! |
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Enlightenment: Island of Haiti
For some years, I've been puzzled about the Island of Haiti. It is a very large island of two nations, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The people in the country of Haiti seems to always be in the deepest depths of poverty. I've met plenty of medical professionals who have volunteered to help out in Haiti. Not much is heard about the Dominican Republic. The latest National Geographic Magazine article I'm reading, in the January, 1931, issue, is titled, "Hispaniola Rediscovered," authored by Jacob Gayer. It has shed some light on my problem, giving a great deal of the history of the Dominican Republic up until 1931.
'Hispaniola' refers to the entire island called 'Haiti,' which in turn, is divided into the two countries. The island is in the Caribbean Sea, located between the islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico. The land area of Hispaniola is slightly smaller than the United States State of South Carolina. Hispaniola is approximately 400 miles from east to west.
"The international boundary which separates the two nations is not along a great natural barrier, for at places one may wade a stream that divides them. But if there were a Chinese Wall, with its top sprinkled with broken glass, it would not more effectively mark the passage from one country to the other than do the human barriers of alien races, languages, and traditions" (p. 80).
The nation of Haiti occupies the eastern part of the island while The Dominican Republic occupies the western part. French and African peoples settled Haiti while Spanish folk settled the eastern part. This article describes the history, geography, and citizens of the Dominican Republic.
Brief history: Christopher Columbus discovered this island in 1493. He established the town of Isabela, named after the Queen of Portugal, his patron. It was abandoned within 50 years. Columbus' remains were interred in the Santo Domingo Cathedral, as he wished. Santo Domingo is the capital city of the Dominican Republic; it was the first city to be started by 'white men in America" (p.88).
In 1558, the Spaniards created the University of St. Thomas Aquinas.
The geography of the Dominican Republic contains many extremes from hot, humid, and green to as dry as the New Mexico desert with mountains as high as 10,000 feet. There is "unbelievable variety in scenery and in plant and animal life" (p. 80).
The chief agricultural products in 1931 were cacao beans, from which we derive chocolate, sugar, and mahogany wood. There was more cacao production in the Dominican Republic at that time than elsewhere in the entire West Indies. Sugar cane was farmed on large plantations; one estate contained 58,000 acres. These plantations needed to import workers from other countries but not from Haiti. The agricultural land along the boundary between nations was specifically settled so the owners could prevent Haiti citizens from entering the country. The mountains also formed a natural barrier.
Throughout the past centuries, the country has been plagued with earthquakes, tornadoes, and pirates, as has the rest of the Caribbean Islands.
Politics: "Its exposed position as the key to the Caribbean in the formative days of American history made this land a coveted place in many dreams of empire, and France, Spain, and England used it as a pawn in their great game of world power" (p. 88).
The Dominican Republic culture was stable and was decisively Spanish. In 1931, the nation boasted of modern fire stations, electric power, water distribution, and roads. The "Voo-doo" culture of Haiti was practically non-existant in its neighbor.
The color photos displayed beautiful Spanish architecture and costumes. I'll look forward to learning more about the island of many differences!
'Hispaniola' refers to the entire island called 'Haiti,' which in turn, is divided into the two countries. The island is in the Caribbean Sea, located between the islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico. The land area of Hispaniola is slightly smaller than the United States State of South Carolina. Hispaniola is approximately 400 miles from east to west.
"The international boundary which separates the two nations is not along a great natural barrier, for at places one may wade a stream that divides them. But if there were a Chinese Wall, with its top sprinkled with broken glass, it would not more effectively mark the passage from one country to the other than do the human barriers of alien races, languages, and traditions" (p. 80).
The nation of Haiti occupies the eastern part of the island while The Dominican Republic occupies the western part. French and African peoples settled Haiti while Spanish folk settled the eastern part. This article describes the history, geography, and citizens of the Dominican Republic.
Brief history: Christopher Columbus discovered this island in 1493. He established the town of Isabela, named after the Queen of Portugal, his patron. It was abandoned within 50 years. Columbus' remains were interred in the Santo Domingo Cathedral, as he wished. Santo Domingo is the capital city of the Dominican Republic; it was the first city to be started by 'white men in America" (p.88).
In 1558, the Spaniards created the University of St. Thomas Aquinas.
The geography of the Dominican Republic contains many extremes from hot, humid, and green to as dry as the New Mexico desert with mountains as high as 10,000 feet. There is "unbelievable variety in scenery and in plant and animal life" (p. 80).
The chief agricultural products in 1931 were cacao beans, from which we derive chocolate, sugar, and mahogany wood. There was more cacao production in the Dominican Republic at that time than elsewhere in the entire West Indies. Sugar cane was farmed on large plantations; one estate contained 58,000 acres. These plantations needed to import workers from other countries but not from Haiti. The agricultural land along the boundary between nations was specifically settled so the owners could prevent Haiti citizens from entering the country. The mountains also formed a natural barrier.
Throughout the past centuries, the country has been plagued with earthquakes, tornadoes, and pirates, as has the rest of the Caribbean Islands.
Politics: "Its exposed position as the key to the Caribbean in the formative days of American history made this land a coveted place in many dreams of empire, and France, Spain, and England used it as a pawn in their great game of world power" (p. 88).
The Dominican Republic culture was stable and was decisively Spanish. In 1931, the nation boasted of modern fire stations, electric power, water distribution, and roads. The "Voo-doo" culture of Haiti was practically non-existant in its neighbor.
The color photos displayed beautiful Spanish architecture and costumes. I'll look forward to learning more about the island of many differences!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Ohio Riverboat Trip!
This afternoon, my son #2, John, and I went with our church group on a bus trip from Lexington to Louisville, Kentucky, for an Ohio River cruise on the boat, "Spirit of Jefferson." After a proper blessing of the group and the bus by our Father Alan, we chatted and laughed our way to Louisville.
The crew served a large tasty buffet lunch. There was a witty D.J. who played lively music in the background. Our group of 26 sat together. It's always fun to go with any church group. I always see old friends and meet new ones. It's never the same.
The cruise was perfectly delightful. This large boat ran very smoothly in the river. Since I was born and mostly raised in Louisville, I enjoyed seeing the extensive riverfront development of hotels, restaurants, parks, docks, and the new arena, "Yum" Center. Many years ago, one could drive on the River Road, park on the side, and directly walk down the bricked slope into the river or fish from there. Now the interstate highways criss-cross nearby.
It was interesting to view the parade of passing boats, especially the long barges, pushed by tugboats.
We all enjoyed the riverfront homes and wished we had one of them!
One friend tracked our trip on her phone's GPS. It was neat to see the little dot representing the boat in the middle of the river! Louisville is building another bridge. What an undertaking!
After our most enjoyable river cruise, our group shopped the gift shop, then boarded our bus for the trip back to Lexington. Out in the country, I noticed that my two friends on the other side of the aisle had both fallen asleep for a nap. So had my son, John. Later, he asked me, "Well, you had a nice nap, didn't you!"
Since I've traveled by boat on ocean, lake, and river this summer, I really can't decide which I like the best. All have their advantages. I had a nice discussion with a former Navy man about which sharks bite and which don't. The main advantage of river and lake is that I can access them here, in Kentucky, hundreds of miles from the ocean!
 | |
| The Spirit of Jefferson, ready to board. |
 | |
| John standing near the sister boat, The Belle of Louisville |
 | ||
| Me, Jan, in the middle of the river with the gangplank behind me. |
It was interesting to view the parade of passing boats, especially the long barges, pushed by tugboats.
 | |
| Barge passing, cargo unknown. |
 | |
| A large, stately Victorian home on the Ohio River shore. |
 | |
| A new bridge will cross the Ohio River at Louisville. |
 | |
| The old historic Louisville Water Company towers, viewed from the river. |
Since I've traveled by boat on ocean, lake, and river this summer, I really can't decide which I like the best. All have their advantages. I had a nice discussion with a former Navy man about which sharks bite and which don't. The main advantage of river and lake is that I can access them here, in Kentucky, hundreds of miles from the ocean!
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
The Two-Month Long Seaplane Ride
A new year to read National Geographic Magazine, 1931, January, is begun. The first, 79-page article is "Skypaths Through Latin America: Flying From Our Nation's Capital Southward Over Jungles, Remote Islands, and Cities on an Aerial Survey of the East Coast of South America" by Frederich Simpich. This article chronicles a "10,000 mile exploration flight, from Washington (D.C., U.S.A.) to Buenos Aires (Argentina, South America) by way of the Caribbean" (p. 1).
Mr. Simpich reveals the purposes of the journey. "Our expedition was to fly around and over islands, up rivers, and as far into the jungles as safety would permit. We were to study the various races of mankind encountered, observe the wilderness, the farms, industries, and cities; land wherever we wished, make the best pictures ever taken along this route, and bring back an account of our experiences for educational purposes only - the assignment of a lifetime!" (p. 1).
The trip started in Washington, D.C., made six stops to refuel enroute to Miami, Florida, refueled again at Key West, Florida, then landed in Havana. It is amazing that in 1931, the air routes were established with plenty of refueling stations available, although it was more challenging in the jungles of South America. Please note: they traveled by seaplane.
"Cuba is a Garden of Eden, almost 1,000 miles long - a lush, luxuriant island anchored off the tip of Florida" (p.3). "Our world from the air seems an oddly empty place. . .I stood at the tomb of Ponce de Leon, in the cathedral at San Juan (Puerto Rico), and tried to imagine what that prince of adventurers might say, could he see Porto Rico now" (p. 25).
Next on the journey east and south were the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. "When the United States purchased the islands from Denmark, in 1917, they had a population of about 26,000. Since then, this number has considerably decreased, owing to migration to continental United States" (photo caption, p. 27). This information, both that the country of Denmark had once 'owned' these islands, and also that the United States 'purchased' them, was new information to me.
St. Thomas Island, "viewed from the sky, these islands are strangely beautiful. Only God's own hands could form these gracefully molded emerald hills and set them in turquoise seas with foamy waves as a white fringe about emerald-green shores. "Isles of Enchanting Views," the natives call them. A flock of sheep feeding far below on a golf course resembled white mice" (p. 34).
As an American, I'm interested in other countries' quest for freedom. "Ashore in St. Thomas, my parrot-infested hotel veranda faced Emancipation Park. Here, in 1848, the slaves tore up the public whipping post, threw it into the sea, and compelled the Danes to grant them freedom" (p. 34).
The author, photographer, pilot and co-pilot stayed overnight in hotels, where there was one, or houses of local officials, where there were no hotels. The author mused that the crew enjoyed the sights but missed the scents of travel on the ground. "Motor through Missouri on a June day and you delight in the fragrance of new-mown hay, plowed fields, and blossoms; but fly over it and all you smell is gasoline" (p. 34).
This trip sharply contrasts with that recently reported on in this blog, September 13, 2013, "A Primitive Flying Adventure," a flight up the west coast of South America. That trip followed the mail run both in route taken, time needed (67 hours), and mail delivered. This trip, south down the east coast of South America usually followed the mail route, sometimes delivered mail but took two months.
The east coast trip has progressed to the country of Venezuela and the Guineas, British, Dutch, and French Guiana. When the tide is low along the east coast of Venezuela and the Guineas, the mud flats "are often miles in width. . .and the many birds which patrol for food after the receding tide, are the only motion and life in these vast, almost primordial areas of ooze, slime, and silence" (p. 36).
Why did the Europeans want to travel so far away and go to the trouble of 'owning' other lands? "These once rich islands were in the eyes of all Europe in those days, for Europe was sugar-mad" (p. 36).
In Trinidad, "odd sights, sounds, and smells echo the clash of East and West: Chinese girls playing hockey. . .street signs pointing to church; a ring-nosed Hindu girl in a silk scarf smiling at a sailor. . .Hindus, Chinese, Moslems, Africans, Europeans - all mingling at a social affair" (p. 40). Trinidad profits by its "asphalt lake," a large pit which bubbles up more asphalt when it is removed; this asphalt is used by the locals and also exported.
Now I learn a new fact which might have contributed to the success of our own American Revolution. "These West Indies, measured by world trade at the time, were worth more to England than her North American colonies, up to the Revolution. Then sugar was king; now in Trinidad, oil and asphalt are above everything" (p. 40). Could it be, that to the British, America wasn't worth fighting very hard over?
The country of Brazil covers the great majority of the continent of South America. There were "anacondas big enough to swallow a calf" infesting the delta of the Amazon River (p. 48). Entering Brazil from the north, one wonders where its millions of people are hiding! For two hours, after crossing the Oyapock, we saw no human habitation" (p. 49).
In 2013, we worry about the encroachment of civilization paving over the South American rain forests. In 1930, it was not so. "An ocean of foliage prodigal with natural wealth - vast, green, and impenetrable except by steam and rivers - such is the infinite, unconquered forest of Brazil. All its trees ever cut by man are but as so many straws plucked from the wheatfields of the Dakotas" (p. 50, photo caption).
The vast grandeur of the Amazon River apparently must be seen to be believed. "We came soon to the mud banks of the incomparable island-studded Amazon - a vast, yellow, sinister sea, before which puny man can only marvel at the majesty of Nature. You sense the colossal power and magnitude of its mighty, moving bulk when you fly its far-flung delta banks and see its mud flats covered with countless thousands of forest trees wrenched up by the roots and scattered like matches. . .running 4,000 miles across the continent from the Andes, it drains about 2/5ths of South America, and the rainy season varies in its lower reaches from five to 400 miles in width" (p. 54).
Para, Brazil, marked the half-way point of this historic air flight. "If man ever conquers the jungle, this valley will hold many millions. Its resources are infinite. Forests yield more than 400 useful woods. Rubber, vanilla, sarsaparilla, many nuts, copaiba - these and many other things grow wild" (p. 56). I believe that the National Geographic Society played a large part in bringing the growing problem of exploitation of these same forests to world attention resulting in a drive for conservation.
Para is hot! "From 11 till 3 nobody stirs - not even the vultures that ride in flocks on open garbage wagons" (p. 56).
Mr. Simpich writes, on leaving the Amazon, "Looking back at the yellow tail of our ship (seaplane), it was with genuine regret that we saw the last of this great Amazon Valley, with its 20,000 kinds of trees, its infinite fruits and wild animals, and its infinite possibilities as the future home of millions yet unborn" (p. 60). What about America? What is our future? Will we have regrets?
The plane crew encountered many different languages on this trip: Spanish, French, English, Dutch, and Portugese. "Flying has brought a new American type to cities all the way from Havana and San Juan de Porto Rico to Para and Pernambuco (Brazil). Guests at hotels are accustomed now to seeing a crowd of sunburnt, khaki-clad flying Americans come trooping in to lunch, just in from a long flight and too hungry to stop to change clothes" (p. 61).
The author continues to describe the changes he has observed. "You sense the permanence and stability of air travel when in city after city you see new ramps, floats, and hangars, with shops, extra planes, spare parts, radio stations and all the paraphernalia of aviation. . .In 30 years of travel iin many lands, I have seen no phase of American activity abroad received with more friendly interest than our air-line excursions in Latin America. Ours is a new day" (p. 63).
Do you take air conditioning for granted? It was not always so! "I'll meet you just before the second afternoon shower," the Para man may say in making a business engagement" (p. 63). Young people may not understand this statement. When I was in college the first time, I had good friends from Puerto Rico and Cuba (just escaped, in 1961). Fernando, from Ponce, Puerto Rico, once said, "When I'm home, I take three showers a day."
After the Amazon Valley, there was a vast desert: "sand dunes, often sixty feet high" and "you would get as good a desert picture as any from Baghdad to Cairo" (p. 63).
There were plenty of cities whose name were new to me. "Bahia is one of the oldest centers of European civilizations in Brazil. Many years before the English established colonies in what is now the United States, the Portugese were here" (p. 70).
In 1931, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, was "a great city, with upward of 2,000,000 people.
The last stop in this epic journey was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The author compares it to Chicago in industriousness. The Rio de la Plata (Plate River) is 28 miles wide there, 125 miles inland. At its mouth, the Plate River is 120 miles wide!
Mr. Simpich concludes, "Like a mirage in a desert haze, we glimpse the majestic skyline of Buenos Aires, metropolis of South America, our goal, after 10,000 miles of flying over strange lands, up hidden rivers, around volcanoes, across forests primeval, and the jungle wastes of trackless tropics" (p, 79). This was an ambitious journey, to be sure, "the trip of a lifetime!"
Mr. Simpich reveals the purposes of the journey. "Our expedition was to fly around and over islands, up rivers, and as far into the jungles as safety would permit. We were to study the various races of mankind encountered, observe the wilderness, the farms, industries, and cities; land wherever we wished, make the best pictures ever taken along this route, and bring back an account of our experiences for educational purposes only - the assignment of a lifetime!" (p. 1).
The trip started in Washington, D.C., made six stops to refuel enroute to Miami, Florida, refueled again at Key West, Florida, then landed in Havana. It is amazing that in 1931, the air routes were established with plenty of refueling stations available, although it was more challenging in the jungles of South America. Please note: they traveled by seaplane.
"Cuba is a Garden of Eden, almost 1,000 miles long - a lush, luxuriant island anchored off the tip of Florida" (p.3). "Our world from the air seems an oddly empty place. . .I stood at the tomb of Ponce de Leon, in the cathedral at San Juan (Puerto Rico), and tried to imagine what that prince of adventurers might say, could he see Porto Rico now" (p. 25).
Next on the journey east and south were the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. "When the United States purchased the islands from Denmark, in 1917, they had a population of about 26,000. Since then, this number has considerably decreased, owing to migration to continental United States" (photo caption, p. 27). This information, both that the country of Denmark had once 'owned' these islands, and also that the United States 'purchased' them, was new information to me.
St. Thomas Island, "viewed from the sky, these islands are strangely beautiful. Only God's own hands could form these gracefully molded emerald hills and set them in turquoise seas with foamy waves as a white fringe about emerald-green shores. "Isles of Enchanting Views," the natives call them. A flock of sheep feeding far below on a golf course resembled white mice" (p. 34).
As an American, I'm interested in other countries' quest for freedom. "Ashore in St. Thomas, my parrot-infested hotel veranda faced Emancipation Park. Here, in 1848, the slaves tore up the public whipping post, threw it into the sea, and compelled the Danes to grant them freedom" (p. 34).
The author, photographer, pilot and co-pilot stayed overnight in hotels, where there was one, or houses of local officials, where there were no hotels. The author mused that the crew enjoyed the sights but missed the scents of travel on the ground. "Motor through Missouri on a June day and you delight in the fragrance of new-mown hay, plowed fields, and blossoms; but fly over it and all you smell is gasoline" (p. 34).
This trip sharply contrasts with that recently reported on in this blog, September 13, 2013, "A Primitive Flying Adventure," a flight up the west coast of South America. That trip followed the mail run both in route taken, time needed (67 hours), and mail delivered. This trip, south down the east coast of South America usually followed the mail route, sometimes delivered mail but took two months.
The east coast trip has progressed to the country of Venezuela and the Guineas, British, Dutch, and French Guiana. When the tide is low along the east coast of Venezuela and the Guineas, the mud flats "are often miles in width. . .and the many birds which patrol for food after the receding tide, are the only motion and life in these vast, almost primordial areas of ooze, slime, and silence" (p. 36).
Why did the Europeans want to travel so far away and go to the trouble of 'owning' other lands? "These once rich islands were in the eyes of all Europe in those days, for Europe was sugar-mad" (p. 36).
In Trinidad, "odd sights, sounds, and smells echo the clash of East and West: Chinese girls playing hockey. . .street signs pointing to church; a ring-nosed Hindu girl in a silk scarf smiling at a sailor. . .Hindus, Chinese, Moslems, Africans, Europeans - all mingling at a social affair" (p. 40). Trinidad profits by its "asphalt lake," a large pit which bubbles up more asphalt when it is removed; this asphalt is used by the locals and also exported.
Now I learn a new fact which might have contributed to the success of our own American Revolution. "These West Indies, measured by world trade at the time, were worth more to England than her North American colonies, up to the Revolution. Then sugar was king; now in Trinidad, oil and asphalt are above everything" (p. 40). Could it be, that to the British, America wasn't worth fighting very hard over?
The country of Brazil covers the great majority of the continent of South America. There were "anacondas big enough to swallow a calf" infesting the delta of the Amazon River (p. 48). Entering Brazil from the north, one wonders where its millions of people are hiding! For two hours, after crossing the Oyapock, we saw no human habitation" (p. 49).
In 2013, we worry about the encroachment of civilization paving over the South American rain forests. In 1930, it was not so. "An ocean of foliage prodigal with natural wealth - vast, green, and impenetrable except by steam and rivers - such is the infinite, unconquered forest of Brazil. All its trees ever cut by man are but as so many straws plucked from the wheatfields of the Dakotas" (p. 50, photo caption).
The vast grandeur of the Amazon River apparently must be seen to be believed. "We came soon to the mud banks of the incomparable island-studded Amazon - a vast, yellow, sinister sea, before which puny man can only marvel at the majesty of Nature. You sense the colossal power and magnitude of its mighty, moving bulk when you fly its far-flung delta banks and see its mud flats covered with countless thousands of forest trees wrenched up by the roots and scattered like matches. . .running 4,000 miles across the continent from the Andes, it drains about 2/5ths of South America, and the rainy season varies in its lower reaches from five to 400 miles in width" (p. 54).
Para, Brazil, marked the half-way point of this historic air flight. "If man ever conquers the jungle, this valley will hold many millions. Its resources are infinite. Forests yield more than 400 useful woods. Rubber, vanilla, sarsaparilla, many nuts, copaiba - these and many other things grow wild" (p. 56). I believe that the National Geographic Society played a large part in bringing the growing problem of exploitation of these same forests to world attention resulting in a drive for conservation.
Para is hot! "From 11 till 3 nobody stirs - not even the vultures that ride in flocks on open garbage wagons" (p. 56).
Mr. Simpich writes, on leaving the Amazon, "Looking back at the yellow tail of our ship (seaplane), it was with genuine regret that we saw the last of this great Amazon Valley, with its 20,000 kinds of trees, its infinite fruits and wild animals, and its infinite possibilities as the future home of millions yet unborn" (p. 60). What about America? What is our future? Will we have regrets?
The plane crew encountered many different languages on this trip: Spanish, French, English, Dutch, and Portugese. "Flying has brought a new American type to cities all the way from Havana and San Juan de Porto Rico to Para and Pernambuco (Brazil). Guests at hotels are accustomed now to seeing a crowd of sunburnt, khaki-clad flying Americans come trooping in to lunch, just in from a long flight and too hungry to stop to change clothes" (p. 61).
The author continues to describe the changes he has observed. "You sense the permanence and stability of air travel when in city after city you see new ramps, floats, and hangars, with shops, extra planes, spare parts, radio stations and all the paraphernalia of aviation. . .In 30 years of travel iin many lands, I have seen no phase of American activity abroad received with more friendly interest than our air-line excursions in Latin America. Ours is a new day" (p. 63).
Do you take air conditioning for granted? It was not always so! "I'll meet you just before the second afternoon shower," the Para man may say in making a business engagement" (p. 63). Young people may not understand this statement. When I was in college the first time, I had good friends from Puerto Rico and Cuba (just escaped, in 1961). Fernando, from Ponce, Puerto Rico, once said, "When I'm home, I take three showers a day."
After the Amazon Valley, there was a vast desert: "sand dunes, often sixty feet high" and "you would get as good a desert picture as any from Baghdad to Cairo" (p. 63).
There were plenty of cities whose name were new to me. "Bahia is one of the oldest centers of European civilizations in Brazil. Many years before the English established colonies in what is now the United States, the Portugese were here" (p. 70).
In 1931, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, was "a great city, with upward of 2,000,000 people.
The last stop in this epic journey was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The author compares it to Chicago in industriousness. The Rio de la Plata (Plate River) is 28 miles wide there, 125 miles inland. At its mouth, the Plate River is 120 miles wide!
Mr. Simpich concludes, "Like a mirage in a desert haze, we glimpse the majestic skyline of Buenos Aires, metropolis of South America, our goal, after 10,000 miles of flying over strange lands, up hidden rivers, around volcanoes, across forests primeval, and the jungle wastes of trackless tropics" (p, 79). This was an ambitious journey, to be sure, "the trip of a lifetime!"
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Along the Potomac River. . .
Paul Wilstach wrote a short but interesting final article in the March, 1930 issue of National Geographic Magazine, "Approaching Washington by Tidewater Potomac." It is a concise history of the early settlers and life there until 1930. The Color Plate section (photographs) is very nice, as usual.
Here are some facts about the Potomac River that may be new to you:
1) The river is partially fresh water and turns to salt water about 40 miles from the Chesapeake Bay.
2) The river is officially in the State of Maryland ("but the citizens of both states have equal fishing rights in the waters" (p. 373).
3) "Potomac" is Indian for "traders."
4) There is evidence that there may have been explorers there from Iceland in the 11th century.
5) Captain John Smith was the first documented explorer in 1608. He created a map of the river.
6) There are 645 parks in the District of Columbia covering 4,000 acres.
7) There are 2,000 cherry trees on the river bank, all gifts from Japan.
8) Mount Vernon, our first president, George Washington's, plantation, originally was 8,800 acres.
9) In 1930 there were no bridges across the Potomac River south of Washington, D.C. The river is from one to seven miles wide. (Have you ever traveled the long Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel)?
Reading this pricked my memory of past trips to Washington, D.C., and to the Chesapeake Bay area around the Virginia cities of Hampton, Newport News, and Norfolk. While Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean is much too crowded, the Bay area is lovely. I saw a real panda at the Washington, D.C. Zoo. I wonder if it is still there. . .
Mr. Wilstach inspires me to want to return. "A little way down the river we left Mount Vernon, with all the actualities that remain of Washington the man. Ahead rises the panorama of the Capital City of our Nation, representing the actuality of Washington's ideals and hopes. Above its green skyline rest the lofty cornice of the Lincoln Memorial, the Parthenon of the Western World, and the white dome of the Capital, where focus the lawmaking national Congress and the law-sustaining Supreme Court. Between the two, its tip touching the blue high above every other detail of its environment, is the Monument dedicated to the memory of Washington himself and a fitting apotheosis of the greatest of the great sons of the Potomac" (p. 392).
Here are some facts about the Potomac River that may be new to you:
1) The river is partially fresh water and turns to salt water about 40 miles from the Chesapeake Bay.
2) The river is officially in the State of Maryland ("but the citizens of both states have equal fishing rights in the waters" (p. 373).
3) "Potomac" is Indian for "traders."
4) There is evidence that there may have been explorers there from Iceland in the 11th century.
5) Captain John Smith was the first documented explorer in 1608. He created a map of the river.
6) There are 645 parks in the District of Columbia covering 4,000 acres.
7) There are 2,000 cherry trees on the river bank, all gifts from Japan.
8) Mount Vernon, our first president, George Washington's, plantation, originally was 8,800 acres.
9) In 1930 there were no bridges across the Potomac River south of Washington, D.C. The river is from one to seven miles wide. (Have you ever traveled the long Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel)?
Reading this pricked my memory of past trips to Washington, D.C., and to the Chesapeake Bay area around the Virginia cities of Hampton, Newport News, and Norfolk. While Virginia Beach on the Atlantic Ocean is much too crowded, the Bay area is lovely. I saw a real panda at the Washington, D.C. Zoo. I wonder if it is still there. . .
Mr. Wilstach inspires me to want to return. "A little way down the river we left Mount Vernon, with all the actualities that remain of Washington the man. Ahead rises the panorama of the Capital City of our Nation, representing the actuality of Washington's ideals and hopes. Above its green skyline rest the lofty cornice of the Lincoln Memorial, the Parthenon of the Western World, and the white dome of the Capital, where focus the lawmaking national Congress and the law-sustaining Supreme Court. Between the two, its tip touching the blue high above every other detail of its environment, is the Monument dedicated to the memory of Washington himself and a fitting apotheosis of the greatest of the great sons of the Potomac" (p. 392).
Saturday, September 14, 2013
All Things Bird
My favorite birds are the bright yellow tiny finches that visit my back yard thistle feeder. Several times I've seen a dark-red finch. Last summer I saw a lone hummingbird in my mimosa tree, sampling the pink fluff blooms. In this next National Geographic Magazine article of March, 1930, "Fowls of Forest and Stream Tamed by Man," the author, Morley A. Jull, Ph.D., describes the birds about which he will educate us: "Of the six groups of birds discussed in the article, there are three land birds - the turkey, peafowl, and guinea fowl - and three waterfowl - duck, goose, and swan" (p. 327). I presently welcome a break from traveling!
The obvious differences between land birds and water birds are that land birds have beaks and claws for digging or plucking their food, while water birds have bills and webbed feet for swimming and scooping their food from in the water.
FYI: Turkeys used to be herded like cattle and then driven like cattle to the dressing plants. "This practice is being discontinued, however, as the turkeys lose too much weight on long drives" (photo caption, p. 348).
The obvious differences between land birds and water birds are that land birds have beaks and claws for digging or plucking their food, while water birds have bills and webbed feet for swimming and scooping their food from in the water.
The Peafowl
Mr. Jull selects the peacock as the most beautiful and colorful land bird. Few would disagree. This bird originated "in the dry lower regions of India, Burma, Siam, Java, Ceylon, and the Malay Peninsula. It has not migrated extensively. . .but thrives in many climes and in a variety of conditions" (p. 328). Peacocks especially like to eat snakes!
"The early Christians adopted the peacock as a symbol of immortality" (p. 328).
Ducks
The next focus is ducks. "For the most part, they are raised exclusively for their meat, but in recent years a certain amount of interest has centered on duck-egg production" (p. 328). My cousin, Martha, keeps a flock of ducks on her acreage here in Kentucky and shared their large eggs with me this past February.
 | |
| Largest eggs are from Ducks, Smallest are from birds, with the medium chicken eggs for comparison. |
 | |
| The eggs, with their dark yellow yolks, made an extremely tasty breakfast! My other cousin, Mary Jeanne, contributed her homemade jam - yum! |
 |
| The cousins: (left) Mary Jeanne, Jan, and Martha, February, 2013. |
 |
| Common ducks on Lake Cumberland, Kentucky, U.S.A., August, 2013. |
FYI: "The large duck farms have pickers who devote their entire time to dressing birds during the marketing season. They are highly proficient, the average worker being able to pick from 50 to 70 ducks in a day" (photo caption, p. 350).
Geese
Goose farming was a very important industry in Europe in 1930, with Germany having the honor of consuming per capita more goose meat, "than in any other country. . .If provided with an abundance of grass and water, geese require little else in the way of feed" (p. 350).
But the noble goose in more to us than meat! "From time immemorial, the goose has been a generous benefactor of mankind, giving feathers to lie upon, quills with which to feather arrows, pens to transfer man's thoughts to paper, flesh to sustain man's body, fattened livers for the epicurean, and fat to flavor the peasant's soup and for baking purposes" (p. 352).
FYI: "Thomas Jefferson used a quill in writing the Declaration of Independence" (p. 353).
Turkeys
"The turkey is the only race of poultry that originated in the United States" yet "In 1518 there were "domesticated turkeys in great numbers" in Mexico (p. 365). "The turkey is not a migratory bird in the sense that ducks and geese migrate hundreds of miles from the south to the north in the spring and return in the fall, much to the delight of thousands of hunters" (p. 367).
Steve and the Turkeys
My dear brother, Steve, and his wife, Pam, both now deceased, lived in central Wisconsin on a eleven-acre lot in a small town, Merrill. There were woods on their property and numerous wild animals, including turkeys. Steve and Pam's lower level family room had large glass sliding doors to the patio. Steve was very proud because he had installed the doors himself. As he related, one afternoon in November, Steve was watching TV upstairs and he heard the familiar 'peck-peck-peck' of the turkeys on the glass doors. This sound persisted so long that Steve feared the turkeys would break the glass on his new doors. He went outside on the first-floor deck and hollered at the turkeys to no avail. So he brought out his shotgun, went out to the deck where he could see the turkeys still at work on his doors, and fired several warning shots "to scare them away."
Please keep in mind that turkeys are protected species in the State of Wisconsin. By chance, one of the turkeys got killed! Well, Steve didn't mean to do it, so he just kept the turkey, dressed it, and had it on Thanksgiving.
One of his neighbors heard the commotion, came and watched, and reported Steve to the local Fish and Game commissioner. In several months, much to his surprise, Steve received a bill for $127 for violating the statute. He told Pam, "Well, that's the most expensive Thanksgiving Dinner we'll ever have!"
 | ||
| Wild Turkeys in Lake Cumberland State Park, Kentucky, August, 2013. |
Guinea Fowl
"Guinea fowls are bred in many countries and are highly prized for the delicate quality of their flesh" (p. 371). They are not common in Kentucky; I don't recall ever seeing one, either wild or domesticated.
Swans
Swans are common around the country and world as beautiful, graceful, and decorative birds. The white swans are tame and beg to be fed in lakes everywhere.
 |
| Part of my collection of Sea Birds and Ducks, on my kitchen table, August, 2013. All my birds have since flown north to my upstairs office! |
Mr. Jull kindly included detailed histories of all the above-mentioned birds with their many breeds. He gave us an anatomical illustration of the birds with labeled parts. If you are interested in reading this history, including a photo of the proper way to carry a live turkey, please see National Geographic Magazine, March 1930.
Friday, September 13, 2013
A Primitive Flying Adventure
In 1930, there was a new excitement about flying in airplanes. In "Flying the World's Longest Air-Mail Route: From Montevideo, Uruguay, Over the Andes, Up the Pacific Coast, Across Central America and the Caribbean to Miami, Florida in 67 Thrilling Flying Hours," National Geographic Magazine, March, 1930, Junius B. Wood captures this wonder. "In this age earth and water unroll like a reel below, a reel which can stretch a thousand miles in a day, over peaks so high that they have never been climbed, mines and rivers, turbulent seas and fever-ridden jungles, thriving cities and fertile plains, secrets of man and Nature glimpsed by a bird on the wing" (p. 261).
The author's transcontinental flight started on a grass runway in Montevideo, Uruguay, headed west to Santiago, Chile, then proceeded north, stopping many times on South America's western coast for refueling. Reaching Panama, the trip then went west and north to Belize, Honduras, with the end in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. This trip was 7,000 to 9,000 miles; it was made once per week by the United States Post Office.
Taking off during rain and lightning, Mr. Wood, the passenger, was wary, but his traveling companion was a former pilot who assured him that "without a ground connection, only a direct hit will destroy a plane" (p. 264).
Flight in 1930 was risky business. The plane flew a few hundred feet above land, sometimes with clouds above and clouds below. "We'll follow the railroad; it hasn't any windmills," said the pilot, and not two seconds later he went up another hundred feet to clear a water tank which had one" (p. 265). I think my heart was in my mouth as I read that! Imagine: low flight and very little navigation equipment!
There were four men in the small plane: Mr. Wood, his companion, the pilot, and the mechanic. Before crossing the peaks of the Andes Mountains, over 20,000 feet tall, they consulted the weather report. "Snowing, blowing a gale, and 38 degrees below zero. . .The snow would turn to ice on the wings and bring us down. We'll ask them again, " in another hour, decided the pilot (p. 270). Even when weather is clear and a plane is in the air, "Sometimes a storm comes which was not expected, and the flyers are forced to turn back. . .It is a gamble, none better, for crossing the Andes has thrills all its own" (p. 276).
While the travelers wait for the weather to clear, the mail and plane are guarded by "a gendarme with a rifle" (p. 276).
The trip over the Andes was difficult; the cabin of the plane was not pressurized. The author reports, "My head is aching, muscles seem taut; I've a great longing to sleep that's amusing - sleep while crossing the Andes, the trip of a lifetime" (p. 278). The oxygen in the air is very thin at over 20,000 feet.
What a trip! "Might be easier if the plane wasn't bumping so. . .we're dropping hundreds of feeet with each bump; then the pilot catches it and we crawl up agaiin. Certainly plenty of wind; that's why we're so high. It's the pilot's worry, not mine. . .never be a back seat driver, either in an oxcart or in an airplane four miles up in the air!" (p. 280).
All at once, the mechanic left the cockpit and shouted to the two passengers, "Don't move from your seat! The last time you looked out the other side we dropped 1,500 feet." He yelled at the top of his lungs to be heard above the roaring motors" (p. 280). The four plane occupants were very cold and somewhat disoriented. "Ought to have oxygen tanks for pilots on these planes. Let the passengers go into a trance; they've no responsibility except to sit still" (p. 280).
They flew over one of the last of the Andes Mountains on their trip. "Our plane was the only sign of life in the vast void above the world, higher than anything which moves, except man with his machine-made wings; higher than all else there, except Aconcagua's frozen 23,098-foot top. Only a few peaks in the Himalayas and elsewhere in Asia are higher" (p. 282).
After the Aconcagua Mountain, the plane descended rapidly: "19,000 feet in eight minutes. . .Ears were cracking like a battery of machine guns, and the back of the head seemed squeezed in a hydraulic vise" (p. 283). They changed to a smaller, faster plane for the trip to Santiago, Chile. Then, in 45 minutes, they saw the Pacific Ocean.
There were many interesting sights on the trip north. The mountain volcano, "El Misti often sends clouds of sulphurous vapor a thousand feeet into the air" (photo caption, p. 288). In Peru is a coastal desert. The ancient Inca fortress of Paramonga is intact. The plane flew strictly in daylight; the four spent their nights in local hotels.
"Callao, the principal port of Peru, has one of the finest harbors of the Pacific" (p. 300). In Chile's earthquake zone, the Mr. Wood concludes, "From my experience with earthquakes, to use an airplane is the best way to see one" (p. 300). Another impressive snow-capped mountain is Chimborazo, near the Equator above Guayaquil, Equador.
The group entered the country of Columbia at the port of Buenaventura, reputed to be "one of the wettest cities in South America" (p. 317). In Nicaragua, the capital city, Managua, is situated next to an extinct volcano (photo caption, p. 318). In the Republic of Cuba, Havana was the new capital, clean and magnificent in its buildings.
At several places, the plane flew low and a bag of mail was dropped without stopping. It was dangerous to fly over the jungle and volcanoes of Central America because there were no places to land in case of an emergency. When the plane landed on the field at Miami, the customs man asked, "Any liquor in your suitcase?" Florida is 'dry.' The author answered, "Not at $1 a pound excess baggage."
I have truly enjoyed all the articles in National Geographic Magazines I've read so far. I can picture myself in exotic places, except in the plane in this mail run! It seemed far to dangerous to me!
Have you had adventures in an airplane in these modern times? I generally try NOT to fly in winter due to all the bad-weather delays. Once, I was on a plane that left Chicago in the rain. Halfway to Kentucky, the plane developed mechanical problems and landed in an Indiana town. Passengers were put on another plane back to Chicago. After we landed, we were told it started sleeting and we would have to spend the night in the airport. It was NOT very fun being inches away from the next cot and having to cover my head with a blanket to block out some of the light in an attempt to sleep. Oh, well: I should have no complaints. Travel is very safe, usually comfortable. Guess I'm spoiled!
Do you still have any wonder about experiences 30,000+ feet high in a jetliner? It was a revelation for me to see that the Ohio River was not fairly straight but very winding. To realize that giant green circles in the southwestern desert were irrigated crop circles took several trips to California for me. My favorite sight is passing close to the Irish Shore after a long flight and seeing the lighthouse close to the shore. What are some of your favorite air experiences?
The author's transcontinental flight started on a grass runway in Montevideo, Uruguay, headed west to Santiago, Chile, then proceeded north, stopping many times on South America's western coast for refueling. Reaching Panama, the trip then went west and north to Belize, Honduras, with the end in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. This trip was 7,000 to 9,000 miles; it was made once per week by the United States Post Office.
Taking off during rain and lightning, Mr. Wood, the passenger, was wary, but his traveling companion was a former pilot who assured him that "without a ground connection, only a direct hit will destroy a plane" (p. 264).
Flight in 1930 was risky business. The plane flew a few hundred feet above land, sometimes with clouds above and clouds below. "We'll follow the railroad; it hasn't any windmills," said the pilot, and not two seconds later he went up another hundred feet to clear a water tank which had one" (p. 265). I think my heart was in my mouth as I read that! Imagine: low flight and very little navigation equipment!
There were four men in the small plane: Mr. Wood, his companion, the pilot, and the mechanic. Before crossing the peaks of the Andes Mountains, over 20,000 feet tall, they consulted the weather report. "Snowing, blowing a gale, and 38 degrees below zero. . .The snow would turn to ice on the wings and bring us down. We'll ask them again, " in another hour, decided the pilot (p. 270). Even when weather is clear and a plane is in the air, "Sometimes a storm comes which was not expected, and the flyers are forced to turn back. . .It is a gamble, none better, for crossing the Andes has thrills all its own" (p. 276).
While the travelers wait for the weather to clear, the mail and plane are guarded by "a gendarme with a rifle" (p. 276).
The trip over the Andes was difficult; the cabin of the plane was not pressurized. The author reports, "My head is aching, muscles seem taut; I've a great longing to sleep that's amusing - sleep while crossing the Andes, the trip of a lifetime" (p. 278). The oxygen in the air is very thin at over 20,000 feet.
What a trip! "Might be easier if the plane wasn't bumping so. . .we're dropping hundreds of feeet with each bump; then the pilot catches it and we crawl up agaiin. Certainly plenty of wind; that's why we're so high. It's the pilot's worry, not mine. . .never be a back seat driver, either in an oxcart or in an airplane four miles up in the air!" (p. 280).
All at once, the mechanic left the cockpit and shouted to the two passengers, "Don't move from your seat! The last time you looked out the other side we dropped 1,500 feet." He yelled at the top of his lungs to be heard above the roaring motors" (p. 280). The four plane occupants were very cold and somewhat disoriented. "Ought to have oxygen tanks for pilots on these planes. Let the passengers go into a trance; they've no responsibility except to sit still" (p. 280).
They flew over one of the last of the Andes Mountains on their trip. "Our plane was the only sign of life in the vast void above the world, higher than anything which moves, except man with his machine-made wings; higher than all else there, except Aconcagua's frozen 23,098-foot top. Only a few peaks in the Himalayas and elsewhere in Asia are higher" (p. 282).
After the Aconcagua Mountain, the plane descended rapidly: "19,000 feet in eight minutes. . .Ears were cracking like a battery of machine guns, and the back of the head seemed squeezed in a hydraulic vise" (p. 283). They changed to a smaller, faster plane for the trip to Santiago, Chile. Then, in 45 minutes, they saw the Pacific Ocean.
There were many interesting sights on the trip north. The mountain volcano, "El Misti often sends clouds of sulphurous vapor a thousand feeet into the air" (photo caption, p. 288). In Peru is a coastal desert. The ancient Inca fortress of Paramonga is intact. The plane flew strictly in daylight; the four spent their nights in local hotels.
"Callao, the principal port of Peru, has one of the finest harbors of the Pacific" (p. 300). In Chile's earthquake zone, the Mr. Wood concludes, "From my experience with earthquakes, to use an airplane is the best way to see one" (p. 300). Another impressive snow-capped mountain is Chimborazo, near the Equator above Guayaquil, Equador.
The group entered the country of Columbia at the port of Buenaventura, reputed to be "one of the wettest cities in South America" (p. 317). In Nicaragua, the capital city, Managua, is situated next to an extinct volcano (photo caption, p. 318). In the Republic of Cuba, Havana was the new capital, clean and magnificent in its buildings.
At several places, the plane flew low and a bag of mail was dropped without stopping. It was dangerous to fly over the jungle and volcanoes of Central America because there were no places to land in case of an emergency. When the plane landed on the field at Miami, the customs man asked, "Any liquor in your suitcase?" Florida is 'dry.' The author answered, "Not at $1 a pound excess baggage."
I have truly enjoyed all the articles in National Geographic Magazines I've read so far. I can picture myself in exotic places, except in the plane in this mail run! It seemed far to dangerous to me!
Have you had adventures in an airplane in these modern times? I generally try NOT to fly in winter due to all the bad-weather delays. Once, I was on a plane that left Chicago in the rain. Halfway to Kentucky, the plane developed mechanical problems and landed in an Indiana town. Passengers were put on another plane back to Chicago. After we landed, we were told it started sleeting and we would have to spend the night in the airport. It was NOT very fun being inches away from the next cot and having to cover my head with a blanket to block out some of the light in an attempt to sleep. Oh, well: I should have no complaints. Travel is very safe, usually comfortable. Guess I'm spoiled!
Do you still have any wonder about experiences 30,000+ feet high in a jetliner? It was a revelation for me to see that the Ohio River was not fairly straight but very winding. To realize that giant green circles in the southwestern desert were irrigated crop circles took several trips to California for me. My favorite sight is passing close to the Irish Shore after a long flight and seeing the lighthouse close to the shore. What are some of your favorite air experiences?
Thursday, September 12, 2013
"P" Help #5: Medical & Safety Needs
When traveling either in the U.S.A. or abroad, of course, you need to bring with you at all times, your prescription medicine. Also bring over-the-counter analgesic meds (Tylenol, aspirin, etc), something for an upset stomach and diarrhea, and other meds like vitamins that you take daily. If you're in the U.S.A., it wouldn't take long to reach your physician or dentist by phone and get a new prescription if you lose your meds, but - it's a hassle. It's easier to bring a prescription with you. To travel outside the country, bring all meds in original containers and have prescriptions with you.
Have all medical, dental, and eye insurance cards with you. Leave a copy at home with someone you trust. If you bought travel insurance, this usually includes some kind of medical insurance for emergencies. If you wear glasses or contacts, carry that prescription with you.
Don't think an emergency can't happen to you! In 2006, I was in the Dublin, Ireland airport. The announcement for boarding had been given and I thought I would go to the ladies' room first. I passed out and hit my head! EMT's came and examined me. They said they absolutely couldn't let me board the plane and that they had to take me to the hospital. Then I passed out on the way to the ambulance!
The people in the Royal Irish Hospital were extremely polite and medically tops. The first evening, someone from their financial office came, asked if I had medical insurance and I showed them my card which they copied. They said, "No problem. They'll pay us." I was admitted for three days with extensive tests that showed nothing was wrong. I was really stressed because daughter #5 was getting married in Boston the next day! They allowed me to go back to the U.S.A. and told me I needed to followup with my regular physician, which, of course, I did. No cause was ever found!
The wedding was wonderful!
That was NOT the end of the experience, unfortunately. After eight months, I got a bill from a collection agency in Switzerland! They told me that they were trying to collect the unpaid hospital bill from the Royal Irish Hospital. I had assumed my medical insurance had already paid it. I had never even seen the bill. I told the collection agency I certainly would see that they got their money. I called my medical insurance company and gave them the information. They said it had gone 'to the wrong internal committee.' And that they would send it to the correct committee for payment. After several months of the 'run-around', I decided to consult a lawyer. She said that there was a time for limitations in cases like this, sent the medical insurance company a letter which told them, in plain language, that 'pay it now, or else we sue you.'
OK, the medical insurance company paid the bill, which was given in euros, in dollars. The collection agency told me the balance, approximately $500. Another hassle with the medical insurance company and the balance was paid.
I learned many lessons: 1) get a copy of the bill which will be sent to your insurance company and 2) followup with your insurance company when you get home.
One particularly blistery almost 100-degree day in Rome, Italy, I needed some talcum powder. The nearest pharmacy not only quickly knew what I wanted, they spoke English. I'd be willing to say that you could be almost anywhere and someone could speak enough English to know your needs.
Do you feel safe when traveling by plane? There are several members of my large family who were afraid to travel in planes for many years. Finally, there were places they wanted to go that were too far away to drive so they overcame their fear of flying. Statistics show we're much safer in an airplane than we are in cars. For every 100,000 air flights, there is one death. Now how many car accidents have we been in, in our lives? Happy flying!
FYI: The Irish hospital's emergency room was very, very busy, but also very civilized and very quiet. Every hour or two, a friendly woman with a cart of tea pots and cups came around and asked, "Cup-o-tea? Cup-o-tea?"
FYI: "P" stands for "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance." See this blog, July 31, 2013.
Have all medical, dental, and eye insurance cards with you. Leave a copy at home with someone you trust. If you bought travel insurance, this usually includes some kind of medical insurance for emergencies. If you wear glasses or contacts, carry that prescription with you.
Don't think an emergency can't happen to you! In 2006, I was in the Dublin, Ireland airport. The announcement for boarding had been given and I thought I would go to the ladies' room first. I passed out and hit my head! EMT's came and examined me. They said they absolutely couldn't let me board the plane and that they had to take me to the hospital. Then I passed out on the way to the ambulance!
The people in the Royal Irish Hospital were extremely polite and medically tops. The first evening, someone from their financial office came, asked if I had medical insurance and I showed them my card which they copied. They said, "No problem. They'll pay us." I was admitted for three days with extensive tests that showed nothing was wrong. I was really stressed because daughter #5 was getting married in Boston the next day! They allowed me to go back to the U.S.A. and told me I needed to followup with my regular physician, which, of course, I did. No cause was ever found!
The wedding was wonderful!
That was NOT the end of the experience, unfortunately. After eight months, I got a bill from a collection agency in Switzerland! They told me that they were trying to collect the unpaid hospital bill from the Royal Irish Hospital. I had assumed my medical insurance had already paid it. I had never even seen the bill. I told the collection agency I certainly would see that they got their money. I called my medical insurance company and gave them the information. They said it had gone 'to the wrong internal committee.' And that they would send it to the correct committee for payment. After several months of the 'run-around', I decided to consult a lawyer. She said that there was a time for limitations in cases like this, sent the medical insurance company a letter which told them, in plain language, that 'pay it now, or else we sue you.'
OK, the medical insurance company paid the bill, which was given in euros, in dollars. The collection agency told me the balance, approximately $500. Another hassle with the medical insurance company and the balance was paid.
I learned many lessons: 1) get a copy of the bill which will be sent to your insurance company and 2) followup with your insurance company when you get home.
One particularly blistery almost 100-degree day in Rome, Italy, I needed some talcum powder. The nearest pharmacy not only quickly knew what I wanted, they spoke English. I'd be willing to say that you could be almost anywhere and someone could speak enough English to know your needs.
Do you feel safe when traveling by plane? There are several members of my large family who were afraid to travel in planes for many years. Finally, there were places they wanted to go that were too far away to drive so they overcame their fear of flying. Statistics show we're much safer in an airplane than we are in cars. For every 100,000 air flights, there is one death. Now how many car accidents have we been in, in our lives? Happy flying!
FYI: The Irish hospital's emergency room was very, very busy, but also very civilized and very quiet. Every hour or two, a friendly woman with a cart of tea pots and cups came around and asked, "Cup-o-tea? Cup-o-tea?"
FYI: "P" stands for "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance." See this blog, July 31, 2013.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Back to Europe!
Paul Wilstach, an American tourist in Taranto, Italy, was looking for a new place there to explore. An Italian naval officer suggested, "Have you seen the trulli?" (p. 229, "The Stone Beehive Homes of the Italian Heel: In Trulli-Land the Native Builds His Dwelling and Makes His Field Arable in the Same Operation", National Geographic Magazine, February, 1930). This tourist had never heard of trulli, houses shaped like inverted cones. These most unusual dwellings "dot the countryside between Martina Franca and Locorotondo" (p. 231).
Mr. Wilstach discovered that "The cones are built without mortar and without the use of grooved stones, yet they endure for centuries" (p. 232). Picture the map of Italy as boot-shaped. The area of tulli houses is found in the boot's heel.
On the train trip there, Mr. Wilstach remarked that one of the passengers was "a Fascist in his black shirt and gray uniform, his Robin Hood bonnet at a rakish angle. Over one shoulder and under the other arm swung an ammunition belt, and his holster was bulging and businesslike" (p. 233). I am sad to see this part of history, "Facism," already beginning in 1930.
It is amazing that the fields in this part of Italy are extremely rocky, even with the use of the flat rocks for building tall, thick fences and the stone tulli. However, this is very economical, the author notes. "The stones are used in the flat, irregular form in which they crop out of the soil, so there is no cost for working up the material" (p. 234).
The walls of the trulli are five to seven feet thick. This keeps the interior of the homes cool in this hot southern Italian climate. Each room in a house, in the case of homes with more than one room, has its own cone-shaped stone roof. The tulli are all one-story dwellings. There is never more than one door to a trullo; windows are few with the largest "rarely more than 15 inches square" (p. 249). Some were still being constructed in 1930. Sant' Antonio, the new church, in trullo style is beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the eight-page section of color photos showing the costumes the country folk wore on special occasions, and the unique tulli structures.
I agree with Mr. Wilstach that the trulli are fascinating, singular architecture. Seeing hundreds of them must have been quite a sight! "It suggested not only a world of queer prehistoric tombs, or giant beehives, or Titanic candle-snuffes, but a world of petrified haystacks, or a vast military camp of ancient Roman tents, abandoned and turned to stone" (p. 243).
Although most of the trulli are found in the countryside, there are a few in the town of Alberobello. "When at sight of this strangest of all European towns, I exclaimed, "Well, seeing this for the first time is an experience I can never have again." His companion retorted, "But the memory of it is something no one can ever take from you" (p. 259).
Mr. Wilstach discovered that "The cones are built without mortar and without the use of grooved stones, yet they endure for centuries" (p. 232). Picture the map of Italy as boot-shaped. The area of tulli houses is found in the boot's heel.
On the train trip there, Mr. Wilstach remarked that one of the passengers was "a Fascist in his black shirt and gray uniform, his Robin Hood bonnet at a rakish angle. Over one shoulder and under the other arm swung an ammunition belt, and his holster was bulging and businesslike" (p. 233). I am sad to see this part of history, "Facism," already beginning in 1930.
It is amazing that the fields in this part of Italy are extremely rocky, even with the use of the flat rocks for building tall, thick fences and the stone tulli. However, this is very economical, the author notes. "The stones are used in the flat, irregular form in which they crop out of the soil, so there is no cost for working up the material" (p. 234).
The walls of the trulli are five to seven feet thick. This keeps the interior of the homes cool in this hot southern Italian climate. Each room in a house, in the case of homes with more than one room, has its own cone-shaped stone roof. The tulli are all one-story dwellings. There is never more than one door to a trullo; windows are few with the largest "rarely more than 15 inches square" (p. 249). Some were still being constructed in 1930. Sant' Antonio, the new church, in trullo style is beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the eight-page section of color photos showing the costumes the country folk wore on special occasions, and the unique tulli structures.
I agree with Mr. Wilstach that the trulli are fascinating, singular architecture. Seeing hundreds of them must have been quite a sight! "It suggested not only a world of queer prehistoric tombs, or giant beehives, or Titanic candle-snuffes, but a world of petrified haystacks, or a vast military camp of ancient Roman tents, abandoned and turned to stone" (p. 243).
Although most of the trulli are found in the countryside, there are a few in the town of Alberobello. "When at sight of this strangest of all European towns, I exclaimed, "Well, seeing this for the first time is an experience I can never have again." His companion retorted, "But the memory of it is something no one can ever take from you" (p. 259).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)