In the late 1890’s, Charles Hinckley Baker was employed as a civil engineer for the Seattle, LakeShore & Eastern Railroad, which operated a rail line that passed Snoqualmie Falls in the State of Washington. From the moment he saw the waterfall, Baker realized its potential for power generation. He convinced his father to lend him … Read more
Before there was a Thailand, there was the Mon-speaking Dvaravati culture, which migrated from what is today Myanmar. The Dvaravati occupied present-day central and northern Thailand, and their seat of power was the central city of of Nakhon Pathom. One of the earliest cultures to reside in Southeast Asia, it lasted from around the 6th … Read more
My jaw dropped when I discovered this brilliant red bloom on a tree in Lamphun, Thailand. It was the most astonishingly weird flower I’ve ever seen. “Alien” flashed through my mind. The pistil and anthers protruding from the lacy white center petals looked like eyes. I almost expected them to raise their spotted red and … Read more
The Welsh love their symbols. The leek has been a national symbol of Wales since Saint David ordered Welsh soldiers to wear a leek on their helmets to identify themselves. The tradition ostensibly hails from a battle with Saxons that occurred in a field of leeks. The daffodil, also known as “Peter’s Leek,” apparently became … Read more
The city center of Cardiff, Wales, with its spectacular castle, may be the number one tourist destination in the Welsh capital, but Cardiff Bay runs a close second. The popular waterfront area owes its existence to abundant coal and iron deposits that were discovered in Wales during the 1700’s. Both commodities were in great demand … Read more
