by Loti | Mar 20, 2013 | Africa, Animals, Thailand
Thailand. While this photo is not Motty, it is of a very happy baby elephant crunching on sugar cane at The Four Seasons Resort. I am about a foot away from her with more sugar cane in my hand. Very fun! So who is Motty? Motty was the only known hybrid born from a African and Asian elephant mating. He was born in 1978 at The Chester Zoo in England and sadly died after 12 days from an umbilical infection despite intensive human intervention. Having characteristics of both parents he looks very cute in old photos. Normally African and Asian elephants are not in the same geographic area so they don’t have an opportunity to mate. And they are actually 2 different species so cross breeding is very difficult. Which got me to thinking, do other species cross breed? Well of course? There is the zebroid (zebra and horse), the cama (camel and llama), the pizzly (polar bear and grizzly) and no I am not making this up, the wholphin, a cross between a dolphin and killer whale. Wow, I continue to be amazed at this whole world out there just waiting to be discovered. ...
by Loti | Mar 19, 2013 | Bermuda, Landscapes
Bermuda. Is it called caving, spelunking or potholing? Depends where you live. In the US and Canada, caving is known as spelunking (which is really one of the coolest words ever) and in the UK and Ireland, it is known as potholing (not such a cool word). Caving involves exploring caves (brilliant) which are some of the most fragile and rarest environments on Earth. Recreational caving differs from other sports in that it is intentionally not publicized to ensure individuals don’t abuse caves due to ignorance or disregard. Many species found in caves exist only in that single cave. In Bermuda, over 25 cave species are critically endangered meaning they have a 50% chance of extinction if nothing is done. Wow, I had no idea. So what can we do to protect our caves? Learn about our environment. Knowledge is power. Even on the cave tour I joined, people had thrown coins into the pools to make a wish. Unbeknownst to me, the copper in pennies deteriorates rapidly causing toxic copper ions that pollute the water. Had I known, I would have said something to the tour guide. Now that would have made for an interesting dialogue!...
by Loti | Mar 18, 2013 | Art, Buddhism, Religions, Thailand
Thailand. The soles of the Reclining Buddha at the Wat Pho temple in Bangkok are inlaid with Mother of Pearl. Of the 108 scenes, each represents a depiction of enlightenment. Flowers, baskets, flags, animals. As you can see from the photo, all very intricate and shiny. So what exactly is Mother of Pearl? Well, I had no idea other than it is iridescent. So I learned it is also called nacre (good Scrabble word) and is made in much the same way as a pearl. Produced by a mollusk, such as an oyster or abalone, it is a blend of minerals secreted by the mollusk inside their shells to protect them from foreign objects and parasites. A pearl is made by the same substance deposited around an object (inserted naturally or by humans) lodged in the mollusk’s shell. Mother of Pearl is used in jewelry, furniture making, buttons and musical instruments. Items made using nacre are considered to be organic since they originate from living creatures or plants. While it is very resilient and tough, it scratches easily. Another amazing work of nature used by us humans to enrich our lives!...
by Loti | Mar 18, 2013 | Buddhism, Religions, Thailand
Thailand. Another interesting mystery. This is the largest gold Buddha in the world weighing over 5 tons and standing (well actually sitting) almost 10 feet tall in the Wat Traimit temple in downtown Bangkok. The origins remain unclear but it is believed to have been made in the 13th century. No one is sure where the statue was cast which is part of the mystery. At some point, again no one is sure, the statue was covered completely in plaster to hide it from thieves, possibly marauding Burmese. And then it was completely forgotten for a couple of hundred years. Made of over 175,000 ounces of gold it is worth $300 million at today’s prices. No small amount to be just forgotten. Seriously how do you overlook a few hundred million dollars for over 200 years? At any rate, in 1955, as a plain plaster Buddha, it was being moved to a new location and was dropped. Some of the plaster chipped off and it was discovered to be be made of solid gold underneath the stucco. So viola. One of the most stunning statues I have ever seen. ...
by Loti | Mar 15, 2013 | Bermuda, Landscapes
Bermuda. The only fresh water source in Bermuda is rainfall. There are no streams or lakes. So how is rain water collected? From the roofs. Which is why all the roofs on Bermuda buildings are white. Bermuda law requires every household collect 80% of the rain that falls on the roof. The white paint on the roof tiles is a nontoxic material applied every 2-3 years which keeps the rain water as clean as possible as it is channeled off the roof into cisterns. Very civilized. And what a great idea! Why doesn’t everyone collect rainwater. Well, in the US, it is illegal in 9 states. What? Illegal? But in some states it is a law you must collect rain. You have to be kidding. So if you live in Utah, Oregon or Washington you have no right to the precipitation (rain or snow) that falls on your property. It is publicly owned. Yet if you live in Texas, you are incentivized to buy rain water collection equipment and in Arizona, most new buildings are required to install rain catchment systems. Very confusing and absolutely crazy....
