Day 5: Meeting of the Waters, Amazon Ecology
Saturday, November 09, 2024

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

June 6, 2025 - Potsdam - Berlin Trip - Day 3

Image
Today's adventure took us to Potsdam by train.  Upon arriving, we walked to Sanssouci Palace Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  I am going to preface my tour details with some information about Frederick the Great as this will provide context for this complex. Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great was born January 24, 1712, the son of the authoritarian King Frederick William I and Sophia Dorothea of Hanover. His childhood was marked by conflict with his father, who despised Frederick's love of French culture, philosophy, and the arts, preferring military discipline.   Frederick's interests in arts and philosophy conflicted with his father's militaristic and authoritarian views. The relationship between father and son became strained and a t 18 years old, Frederick tried to flee Prussia to England with his friend Hans Hermann von Katte.   The escape plot was discovered, and both Frederick and Katte were arrested. Fred...
Read more

Southampton - May 23, 2025

Image
Our journey began in Southampton, where our guide Derek and driver Mike provided fascinating insights into the port city's rich maritime heritage. Southampton's docks tell a story of evolution - the Eastern Docks operated from the mid-1800s through the 1920s before reaching capacity, leading to the creation of the Western Docks through land reclamation from the River Test. These newer docks gained eternal fame as the departure point for the RMS Titanic in April 1912. The Western Docks continue to serve as a major import hub  particularly for motor vehicles.  but now with containers, they employ hundreds of workers rather than thousands. Our guide noted the recent decline in Tesla imports, reflecting changing attitudes toward electric vehicles in the current market. Traveling north through Hampshire county, the landscape revealed the geological story of southern England. The area is dominated by chalk downs, formed millions of years ago and carved by rivers during the last ice ...
Read more

June 5, 2025 - Berlin Trip - Day 2

Image
Today our  day began with an immersive exploration of Berlin's divided history. Christine and Richard led us through the story of East and West Berlin, starting at the iconic  world clock in Alexanderplatz.  It was erected in 1969 and shows the time in 148 major cities around the world and it was o nce considered the absolute highlight of East Germany. As Christine explained, this simple timepiece represented hope and modernity for East Berliners who had so little access to the wider world. We passed by historic St. Mary's Church.  The exact age of the original church is unknown but was mentioned in historical records as early as 1243.  It was originally a Roman Catholic Church but  became a Lutheran Protestant church during the Reformation in 1539.   It is located in the former East Berlin. We stood on the  ‎⁨Platz des Volksaufstandes, ground zero for the people's uprising in East Germany in 1953 and now a memorial.  There are numerous ...
Read more