I'm always astonished to see places in person, especially ones with names I've heard or read about since childhood. War sites are particularly good reminders of our collective past and the human condition.
I've seen so many, yet there are always more to see.
The most mind-blowing in scale have been the First and Second World War sites, places like Verdun, The Somme, Dieppe, Normandy, Belleau Wood, Bastogne and the Ardennes, Arnhem, Berlin, Dresden. And from the Napoleonic Era, a smaller area but just as epic in its nature: Waterloo. In Scotland, Culloden.
In the US, I've ranged far and wide, for instance walking the grounds at Guilford Courthouse, King's Mountain, Yorktown, Brandywine, Germantown, Charleston, Bentonville, Fort Fisher, Fort Sumter, Fort Donelson, Fort McHenry, The Alamo, the Little Big Horn, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, Chattanooga, Savannah, New Orleans, and Shiloh.
At Shiloh, I walked around the patches of fields and woods where Samuel France, infantryman in the 31st Indiana Regiment, fought on April 6 and 7, 1862, was wounded but survived to fight out the rest of the war before being mustered out in Victoria, Texas. I recently came across a searchable archival database and found Sam listed, sometimes with a "J." as middle name.
Place names are branded in conciousness by association, memory, and imagination. Which is probably why, one day, I'd like to see Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City.
Today's Rune: The Blank Rune.
Bon voyage!
5 comments:
War is a crazy phemonena that seems to be part of the human condition. Why I wonder. Over time enemies become friends, friends become enemies. There is such destruction and for what? Is it the dance of Shiva, destroy and create or just plan madness? The male species seenms to perpetuate it the most. Shall we blame it on testosterone or is there something in the human pshcye that is just plain insanity? Kip
Something in the human psyche? But yes, if women had more power in ruling the world, I'm sure it would be a better place. Cities are full of straight line phallic shrines to the pursuit of dollar and pleasure. We should countrify the cities and make buildings more curved, bright and with space for plants and trees.
Just a spontaneous rant - but much as cities are preferable to live in for excitement, it fosters straight line thinking, conquer and win mentalities.
Or maybe I'm just in need of sleep. Off for a kip, Kip.
Thanks Kip and Richard for the comments. I like the idea of more greenery in cities :-> A recent study suggests that too high testosterone will destroy brain cells, making males even more aggressive. So the caricature of rock heads and lunk heads with gigantic steroid bodies has a basis. Let them fight the wars, then ;) George can lead the charge in person -- across a minefield.
I love to see places in person, although, not war sites. I wish to visit many other countries and historical sites before I die... speaking of dying... there is always something I wanted to do. I have always wanted to walk throgh a cemetary at night.... maybe even on halloween. Too bad it's all locked up and stuff. Must be from watching all those horror movies as a kid. Happy Sunday
Sheila, excellent ideas. Cemeteries are still available for night walking, but it's trickier now then it used to be ;)
Post a Comment