Posts Tagged ‘entertainment’

I don’t watch much TV, but when I do it’s usually what the Mister refers to as “Nerd TV.”  It’s true; I will watch almost anything devoted to astrophysics, science, or exploration.  Thus, it was a no-brainer for me to record Human Planet.  I watched some of the episodes last night, and I fell in love with the Strangler Fig bridges shown on one episode:

Strangler Fig Bridge - Meghalaya, India

That may look like an ordinary bridge, but it isn’t.  There are no support posts.  It is a living bridge crafted by weaving together root tendrils of the Strangler Fig plant so that it grows into an exceedingly sturdy bridge.

Underside of Living Bridge - Meghalaya, India

It’s then capable of supporting human traffic, and they lay in stones and dirt to make traveling across it easier for the residents.

Living Bridge - Meghalaya, India

The area of Meghalaya is one of the wettest places on earth. During monsoon season, the waterways these bridges span swell and become raging rapids.  Traditional bridges would not withstand the onslaught of water, so the people who live here devised this method of building living bridges out of the incredibly hardy Strangler Figs.  They have skilled “bridge weavers” in their villages, and they pass along the tribal knowledge of how to create and care for these bridges to their children so that the art is not lost.  This is the ultimate sustainable structure.  The bridge crafters are constantly tending to new bridges so that they will never be without them.

The whole area looks like something you would see in Lord of the Rings: in particular, Lothlorien:

Lothlorien from"Lord of the Rings"

I can only marvel at the ingenuity of the residents of Meghalaya.  For the most part, the Strangler Fig is a nuisance, invasive species.  It swallows structures and whole trees.  Overall, it’s a destructive plant.

Strangler Fig After Killing Host Tree

However, the people of Meghalaya found a way to turn a problem into an asset.  Amazing.  I think I’ve just added a new place to see to my Bucket List!

I’m slowly slogging my way through photos of the British Royal Wedding just to look at the fashion.  While I absolutely adored Kate’s wedding gown, I don’t agree with people who think her sister, Pippa, upstaged her with her Maid of Honor dress.

Pippa's Maid of Honor Dress

I don’t find the dress that remarkable.  It certainly fits Pippa like it was custom-made for her (and it probably was), but it doesn’t hold a candle to Kate’s wedding dress.  In fact, I thought it blended with the wedding dress when she was holding Kate’s train.  I don’t know if that was intentional or not, but if it was, the dress was a brilliant choice.  Of course, Pippa is a pretty woman, too, and I can see why people notice her even when she’s wearing a rather plain, white dress. She’s kinda hard to miss.  It probably wouldn’t matter what she was wearing.

No, if anyone was an upstart at the wedding, it had to be Princess Beatrice with her hat!  How adorable was she?!

Princess Beatrice's Wedding Hat

I think that hat is playful and appropriate for a young lady like Beatrice.  The hat also seems to be as divisive as Kate’s dress; you either love it or you hate it.  I loved it.  If you’re required to wear a hat to a media circus like the royal wedding, you might as well have fun with it!