Thursday, 2 October 2025

America's Smoky Mountains

America's Smoky Mountains (within America's most visited National Park) in Tennessee are a great place to see Fall foliage. Spruce-fir forests, roaring waterfalls and year-round wildflower blooms surround the onlooker. It has 800 miles of trail. Staying on marked trails is advised to prevent getting lost. Proper footwear is needed for hiking.

Monday, 29 September 2025

Curioser and Curioser Thought Alice

MIT OpenCourseWare has some dope online materials to learn some of the most interesting things in the known universe.  Here are some recommendations; tried and tested for total coolness..

The Early Universe, Professor Alan Guth (first lecture asks: Is Our Universe Part of a Multiverse?)

Physical Chemistry, Professor Robert Guy Griffin, Professor Troy van Voorhis (first lecture: Where does quantum physics fit into chemistry?)

Bio-Inspired Structures, Professor Leo Daniel (first lecture: observing birds leading to human flight, quite natural given Professor Daniel specialises in aeronautics).




Monday, 22 September 2025

Kielder Reservoir

Kielder Water, the name of the reservoir at Kielder, is the site of the UK's largest hydroelectric plant.

Tuesday, 22 July 2025

Rivendell

Rivendell is a valley in Tolkien’s Middle Earth.

Interlaken

Interlaken is a resort town in Central Switzerland. It lies between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Old timber houses and parkland feature prominently. Grindelwald is a nearby village and base for mountain ascents up the Eiger mountain. Lauterbrunnen is another nearby village associated with Tolkien said to be the inspiration for Rivendell. Bern, the capital of Switzerland, is the nearest big city to Interlaken (about an hour by train). It traces its origins to the 12th Century. It is less populated than Zurich and Geneva.

Saturday, 19 July 2025

Harburg

Harburg is 1.5 to 2 hours north-west of Munich by road. It is one of Germany’s oldest fortifications. It was built in the 11th or 12th Century.

King Ludwig II

King Ludwig II created many interesting palaces, like the exquisite Linderhof and the unfinished Neuschwanstein Castle.