Mariposa

From Nectar's cup you sip,

as you flit from buddleja to cowslip.

The vibrant colors that you wear, 

cause us to stop and stare.

In paintings, pictures and in books,

oh, little butterfly we cannot but admire,

your wonderous looks.

Romancing the Stone

La Gomera

        There are so many inspirational women that have encouraged women to stand up and be counted throughout the years and that's what, International Women's Day, is all about. Today, I want to celebrate a woman that I just found out about recently and her name is Olivia Stone.

Tenerife

    Olivia Stone, like me visited the Canary islands and very much fell in love with them. The only difference being, that when Olivia made her trip from the UK, there were no aeroplanes and travel for women was difficult and dangerous, the year being 1883.

Tenerife

    She, along with her husband travelled by steamship, the Parana, from France and although she wasn't the first to travel to these shores, unlike a fellow environmentalist Charles Darwin she was able to come ashore. 

    Charles Darwin, unfortunately had been prevented from visiting the island of his dreams, Tenerife, because the authorities wouldn't allow him to disembark because of a cholera outbreak in England. They required the crew and passengers to spend an incubation period aboard the ship, before allowing them to alight and it seems the Captain of the ship was unwilling to oblige.

La Gomera

    Olivia had planned to travel a couple of weeks around the islands, but the flora, fauna, wildlife and the hospitality of the locals seduced her into staying on for 5 months. She was the first traveller to visit the rural areas in Victorian times and her book, Tenerife and Its Six Satellites, has been hailed by some as a classic piece of travel literature. It's full of illustrations by Olivia's husband and she recounts a fascinating look at life on these islands in 1883, even including recipes. 

    Earlier this year the, University of La Laguna, Tenerife celebrated her work by hosting an exhibition in her honour and without their recognition of her, I most certainly wouldn't have heard about this inspirational woman.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tenerife-Satellites-Canary-Islands-Present/dp/140214511X

    

Steeling the Limelight

    On the 4th of  March the Forth Rail Bridge celebrated its 125th birthday and it's still looking remarkable for its age. Although, I do have to admit that I find the journey across the bridge a little on the scary side, however the190-200 trains that travel across this bridge daily makes links to the North of Scotland much easier. Unlike me, most passengers do sit back and admire the breathtaking views over the Firth of Forth and tourists flock to take the journey from Scotland's capital, Edinburgh, into the Kingdom of Fife by this mode of transport.

    On the 16th October 1939 the first German air raid of the Second World War took place here, but luckily the 8000 feet (approx) structure was unscathed and as part of the celebrations this year a spitfire was flown over it, on the 4th. Whilst war isn't something to always celebrate, it's part of the bridge's history and unfortunately we can't undo history.

    This cantilever style bridge, took over 8 years to construct and used 10 times more steel than the Eiffel Tower in the build; so no wonder it has featured in the movies. One of the most famous scenes being in Hitchcock's, 39 Steps and in more recent times it has played a part in, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, by Rockstar North and Rockstar Games. It demonstrates that age is no barrier in, stealing the limelight.


P.S I didn't make a typo in the title!

Travel the World, Read a Book

    

Barcelona, Spain

    If I had been able to read from the day I was born there would still be books on my wish list, until the day I die. In my opinion there are so many fantastic books out there, there is  not enough time to read them all; unless I become a couch potato, that is.

    The opportunity though to read which ever book I want at any given time has always been there, because there have been libraries in the area I live in. As a child my mother took me to the local library every Saturday, whilst she browsed through the Mills & Boon titles, I checked out the shelves of the children's section.

    But there are areas in the UK where local councils believe that libraries are dispensable and as a way to save money the doors are closing, 10% are earmarked to close in the UK 2014-2015.

    I know the enjoyment reading over the years has given me, allowing me to escape into a fictional, or non-fictional world and I find it sad that not everyone sees it that way. Why is it that when money needs to be saved, the library is number one on the hit list? 


    Please on March 5th, World Book Day, let us keep reading and travel all the other worlds out there, fictional and real. www.worldbookday.com

Ring that Bell

   

Alexander's birthplace Edinburgh

    On March 3rd 1847, in Edinburgh, a baby boy was born who would change how the world would communicate with each other in the years to come; his name was Alexander Graham Bell.

    Without him there would be no telephones, modern fibre optics for broadband and we certainly wouldn't be using using Skype. Zukerberg, Gates, Samsung and others wouldn't be household names and their bank balances would most definitely be a little lighter.

Morayshire, where Alexander worked as a pupil teacher

    We can also thank him for metal detectors, the hydrofoil and there would be no record business without the work he did on the gramophone. Would there be the tape-recorder, hard drive, or floppy disc without his pioneering work? Who knows.

    Yes, we all have a lot to thank this scientist for, a man who only set out to make things easier for the deaf.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,  ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL

                 

Mother Language, Plus One

Loch Venichar, Scotland

    One of the challenges that I've embraced since spending so much time in the Canary Islands, is learning the Spanish language. Not only can I now go about my every day business a lot easier, I can communicate better with old and new friends alike. Although we are all Europeans our cultures/customs are most deifinitely an ocean apart and the mixed history of our countries has impacted our views of life.

El Medano, Canary Islands

    It's been a real eye opening experience for me, learning a new language and from 2018, The ENA - National School of Administration, the school for France's futures leaders is insisting that speaking English as well as their mother language will be an essential. Will this be an essential for all future world leaders? We'll just have to wait and see.

GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!

    I'm using this New Year to start a new project and new genre. I've completed plotting, synopsis and 10,000 words so far this week Writing a new genre is a challenge, but the enthusiasm is there and that's what it's all about. For me anyway. Wish me luck!

 GUNG HAY FAT CHOY!