wonder of wonders

It was a sunny, WARM day today. So what do you do when the rain finally stops?

I cleared my balcony and then did laundry. Because I put my laundry out to dry on the balcony when it is sunny. And warm.

And then I sorted through my clothes to find something appropriate to wear on Saturday. Y'know, for the RAPTURE. One needs to be prepared. I am assuming that if I am called, I may be wearing the same outfit for eternity (or the next five months). Or will I get one of those white floaty/sexy outfits that the Philly Cheese Lady wears?

Are you prepared? Have you done everything you want to do? Seen all you want to see? Written a will for those poor family members who may be left behind; they will likely need all they can get to help them through the chaos and end of civilization and all that.

Now, to plan my weekend meal. There seems to be lots of bagels and cream cheese in heaven, but I doubt there will be a barbecue, so that is my plan. Grilled salmon and veggies, I think. 

It should be hot and humid and dry on Saturday, finally (and then the RAPTURE comes and ruins it for us) ... with the rains returning for the holiday Monday.

Yes, the rapture. Sure.

see you next week, after all, this is only post #9 for this month

where I am transported

I'm visiting Australia. Not physically, more's the pity.

With a few minutes between appointments, I wandered into a small charity shop. Perusing the bookshelves, I spied a copy of In a Sunburned Country. I have been meaning to read this book for years, but somehow kept forgetting. Now was my chance. A perfect antidote to The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo.

After my appointment I settled into one of those comfy chairs by the window with a coffee and my new book. What happened next was not elegant. But if you have ever read Bill Bryson, you will understand.

I soon found myself making indelicate snorting noises. I was almost choking with the effort to keep from laughing out loud. Soon, I knew my face was red. And wet from the tears streaming down my cheeks. I stared out the window and composed myself and started again. My body was involuntarily shaking. Those leather chairs proved to be of little use in supporting me as I crumpled helplessly. I surreptitiously reached into my bag for a bottle of water as a distraction. But it was useless. I should have known better.

A couple minutes later, a man passed by me on his way out. "Must be a rip snorter", he said, with a wink.

and the squiggles are....

Maps and I go well together. I always have a map of any new city I'm visiting.
These particular maps from yesterday fascinate me.

For the way they take something that is so familiar and mess with your brain by leaving out certain details.



Yet, manage to make it more accurate.
A legendless map.
I grew up in Toronto, always seeing the city as lying on a straight east-west axis with Yonge St running straight due north. Just as the map indicated.

It is not. We are on an angle.

Subway (Metro) maps are notorious for their distortion.

The iconic London Tube map was designed for simplicity, not geographical accuracy. Note how the Beck map (designed in 1933) has lines that are only vertical, horizontal and at 45 degree angles. It is also not to scale.


This is a more geographically accurate depiction.

Not nearly so pretty, is it?
That Beck design has been copied and used throughout the world, though.

New York's subway system presents a unique challenge in part due to the size of the land in Manhattan and the number of lines running though it. I could go on, as it has a fascinating history but, I won't. Don't want to bore you. And it is again a beautiful sunshiny day (ironic as I am writing about undergound rail transport that rarely allows the light of day in....) and I need to finish this and get myself outside.

Again, one could be forgiven for getting a little confused as to which direction one was actually travelling. And, this doesn't give an accurate description of how many rail lines are involved on several levels with each colour coded line.

I am not as familiar with Montreal's system, Maybe Jazz can expand on it's deficiencies.

I am also not familiar with Chicago's system, but to me this looks pretty darn close. I included this one as I thought it might be recognizable by a couple of you (as it was!)

I included Moscow's map, just because I like it and I have always wanted to see their Metro Stations

So thanks for playing and for your guesses!

springing forward

There was a shift in the air today. I flung the windows wide open.
Well, metaphorically speaking. I actually just slid them across, but I like the idea of flinging them open. I've always wanted to live in one of those large Paris apartments with huge windows that have a latch and open outward onto a little balcony. I can see myself, long flowing gown, flinging open the tall windows onto a street scene below, Paris skyline above with the Eiffel Tower in the distance, someone riding a bicyclette, waving some flowers in one hand, shouting up to me that he has croissants...

Oh, sorry. I'm back.

The breeze that blew in was fresh and smelled of ... S P R I N G!

Spring Forward.

The clocks will move ahead an hour this weekend, far earlier than we are used to (3 weeks earlier). But maybe that will mean Spring will follow quickly with flowers, and birds, and more sunshine, and warmth...

Until two years ago, the time changes came about on the first Sunday in April and again on the last Sunday in October. Now it is the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.

Blogger ate my post where I tried to be both witty and informative about Daylight Savings Time. But really, I'd just as soon go back to my fantasy than rewrite it all.

Now, where was I ...

Paris ... spring ... croissants ... coffee

View-Master

This post has been inspired by a Lone Grey Squirrel and a Grumpy Old Ken.


A favourite childhood diversion that occupied my imagination for many hours was my View Master and its ever present reel of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were my favourite. Interestingly, the most mysterious of the seven wonders. I was crushed to learn they were no longer standing. I also had a book of stories about the ancient cities and monuments of Greece, Persia, and Egypt. Archaeology featured large in my imagination. I travelled to these wondrous sites many times and made great discoveries while in my sick bed.

When a new Seven Wonders listing was proposed, I followed along. It was to be decided by popular vote (as opposed to one man glorifying his country's achievements). Of course, this would be no less subjective. Sites were nominated, the voting extended by a year due to demand, with great excitement for the shortlisted cities. Visits were made and each city had a chance to promote their man made wonder - think of the IOC visiting Olympic bid cities.

A New7Wonders of the World list was announced on 07/07/07. Hundreds of sites from around the world were nominated and voted on globally through the internet. The current project is the New7Wonders of Nature. Already there are almost 300 natural sites nominated. The top 77 sites will be whittled down to the top 21 in January 2009, and eventually the final 7 by December 2010.

Anyone can vote for their favourite 7 in the nomination stage (until Dec 31, 2008) and again for their favourite 7 of the shortlisted stage.

Lone Grey Squirrel has already posted his top 7 choices which you can see here.

I need a little more time for mine! There are so many places I have never heard of. So many beautiful natural spots in the world. So, I'm going through the lists by continent and will post one favourite vote a day. Starting Monday.

Play along if you wish.

If you are not going on holidays this year, you can dream of where you want to go next year.

If you are wondering how Grumpy Old Ken fits into this, you can check out his post on sterioscopic images and his trip down memory lane. A world apart, for sure.