Geography

I was surprised at the distance one elder that is serving a mission in Santiago, Dominican Republic needs to travel to get home!   Santiago to JFK to Las Vegas to Honolulu to Kiribati. 

Things Learned while reading “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle - Sherlock Holmes" -covent-garden-london

"So much for Mr. Henry Baker," said Holmes when he had closed the door behind him. ..."Well, I got the two dozen from a salesman in Covent Garden. ...

Things Learned while reading “A Scandal in Bohemia - Sherlock Holmes" - London's Population

In the book they mention that the population is about 4 million.  The current London Population — 7,556,900.  

Gum Wall in Seattle

There is a wall covered with gum in Seattle.  Gross!

Images from: http://planeteyetraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/gumwallpostalleyseattle-thumb.jpg
http://travelhouseuk.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/wall_of_gum.jpg?w=500&h=300

Around the world in 72 days for real!

Nellie Bly went around the world in 72 days and set a record.  Someone raced her and she won in 1890.   She only took a bag the size of a bread bag!  When she got to Yemen, she had to brush her teeth with a stick.

Around the world

Nellie Bly in her traveling clothes, 1890

 

image from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Nelliebly.jpg/200px-Nelliebly.jpg

What is Real in the Movie UP?

Paradise Falls is not a real location, however it is based on the tepuis (a huge plateau or table top mountain) in Venezuela.   Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall in the world (3,212 feet) looks similar to the ficticuous Paradise Falls.   Angel Falls was named for a man named Jimmy Angel, who went looking for the waterfall in an airplane.  He crashed and he and his crew had to hike for 11 days before they were rescued.  The tepui are protected inside of the Canaima National Park.

"When South America and Africa separated during the formation of the Atlantic Ocean some 180 million years ago, the entire region was uplifted for good and became what is known as the Guyana Highlands. However, under the stress of the uplift, the Pacaraima was broken up, and the forces of erosion began to take its toll on the exposed rock. Only the most-resistant columns of rock survived the onslaught of wind and water, leaving behind the distinctive sheer cliffs of sandstone rising from piles of eroded talus debris."   (from The real world behind “Up's” Paradise Falls)

 
 The Pixar team visited 3 of the most famous tepui and had a challenging hike up to the top of Mount Roraima, the tallest, and on the border of Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela.  They went up a "ramp" but it was still a 7 hr hike.  They got to the top and had hot soup and tents awaiting them.  I think that would be nice to have at the end of a grueling hike!

Images from:

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/willow/geography-of-venezuela0.gif

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/104/284515009_d3c27d46cc_b.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Mt_Roraima_in_Venezuela_001.JPG

http://www.carnaval.com/venezuela/guyana-highlands.jpg

http://z.about.com/d/gosouthamerica/1/0/8/l/parquesnacionales-mapam.JPG 

http://science4grownups.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/up-tepui-landing-paradise-falls.jpg

The Pishon is one of four rivers

The Pishon is one of four rivers that comes out of the garden of Eden.  
Genesis 2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.    11 The name of the first is Pison:

The Hebrew text could be interpreted to mean that the rivers start elsewhere and all meet in Eden.  This feels correct.

There are lots of guesses to which river was the Pishon.  2 of the other 4 are known.  


Hidekel {the Tigris}, 

Phrath { the Euphrates }, 
















and Gihon)

Possible Rivers that could be Pishon:

Phasis or Araxes,

the Nile

the Ganges

the Uizhun

the Wadi Bisha