GARGANTUAN steps
Friday, November 27, 2009
moctezuma
I recently went to the British Museum to have a look at the exhibits flown in from Mexico. This exhibit showcased pieces from the Aztecs, and it centred around their last ruler, Moctezuma. I think that the British Museum do make exceptional exhibits, but you do have to pay good money to have a look at them, and the prices did feel pretty exhorbitant. However, as this was my reading week, and I badly needed some activity to stimulate my brains, this felt like a welcomed break away from studies.
A few interesting facts that I picked up are that, similar to the Egyptian pharaoahs, the rulers in Aztec had their names written in a glyphic form. A culture so far apart from Egypt, but yet it seems that written language seemed to develop in similar patterns. Even the Mayan civilisation in Mexico built pyramidal structures, and these were many thousands of years apart from the Pharoanic times. The Aztecs were a major civilisation in Mexico in the 14-16th century, when the Spanish came and toppled their civilsation, together with the diseases that they brought from Europe. A fascinating read to further your knowledge in this topic would be Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel. Another fascinating fact that I must note is that the picture of an eagle on a cactus is synonymous with the Aztecs. Meanwhile, I was stealthily taking pictures with my camera phone, and hence, the not so nice pictures that I am now posting up on my blog.
A few interesting facts that I picked up are that, similar to the Egyptian pharaoahs, the rulers in Aztec had their names written in a glyphic form. A culture so far apart from Egypt, but yet it seems that written language seemed to develop in similar patterns. Even the Mayan civilisation in Mexico built pyramidal structures, and these were many thousands of years apart from the Pharoanic times. The Aztecs were a major civilisation in Mexico in the 14-16th century, when the Spanish came and toppled their civilsation, together with the diseases that they brought from Europe. A fascinating read to further your knowledge in this topic would be Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel. Another fascinating fact that I must note is that the picture of an eagle on a cactus is synonymous with the Aztecs. Meanwhile, I was stealthily taking pictures with my camera phone, and hence, the not so nice pictures that I am now posting up on my blog.
Eagle Sculpture
This eagle had a hollow back which was used to store human heart sacrifices
This eagle had a hollow back which was used to store human heart sacrifices
Model of the City
City plan
Mask of the face of a god made up of turquiose mosaic
Obsidian Mirror
(This black mirror fascinated me because I've always wondered what people in the past used as mirrors. It is actually a really smooth and shiney rock)
(This black mirror fascinated me because I've always wondered what people in the past used as mirrors. It is actually a really smooth and shiney rock)
Turquiose mosaic Snake
Meanwhile, it's just three more weekends before my holidays begin! Can't wait for them to start. Lots of floorball in between then and now, and I hope we will make a good surge up the table. I think we're good enough for that.
Monday, November 02, 2009
weeks passing by
It's actually been quite a hectic time ever since I've been back in London and I haven't actually had been updated my blog for the entire month of October. I guess I've just been bogged down with lots of reading to do. This year, though a much easier year with most days being half days of lectures, is actually more time consuming, considering the amount of self-reading that one must do in their spare time. And the number of journal articles I have gone through is quite amazing, and that is only for those suggested by the lecturers. I have been busy writing up my article for the project that I did over the summer, and the first draft is out, which I am quite proud of! I am crossing my fingers that it will be published, which would be a great sense of achievement for me.
Meanwhile, nothing much has been going on. My trip to Israel and Jordan in December with my family has been confirmed, and I look very much forward to that, as well as my subsequent short trip back after that. I've actually been busy playing quite a bit of floorball, and this year, I'm part of the committee in charge of the college floorball club. It hasn't been particular smooth or rough going, but thus far, it's manageable. There's a competition all the way west in Gloucester, which encompasses a long two hour drive. We've taken part in the South-West League this year, and I seriously wonder what is in store for us. Hopefully we can achieve something as a team this year, and I'm crossing my fingers that we will be good enough.
Funnily, this is the only picture I've taken so far in London this year. My good friend, whom I promised to eat with at the only Halal KFC in London since way back in January. We finally did it last month - our very own White Castle. However, it's just too far to go all the way just to eat KFC. Not when I have a restaurant just near my train station.
Meanwhile, nothing much has been going on. My trip to Israel and Jordan in December with my family has been confirmed, and I look very much forward to that, as well as my subsequent short trip back after that. I've actually been busy playing quite a bit of floorball, and this year, I'm part of the committee in charge of the college floorball club. It hasn't been particular smooth or rough going, but thus far, it's manageable. There's a competition all the way west in Gloucester, which encompasses a long two hour drive. We've taken part in the South-West League this year, and I seriously wonder what is in store for us. Hopefully we can achieve something as a team this year, and I'm crossing my fingers that we will be good enough.
Funnily, this is the only picture I've taken so far in London this year. My good friend, whom I promised to eat with at the only Halal KFC in London since way back in January. We finally did it last month - our very own White Castle. However, it's just too far to go all the way just to eat KFC. Not when I have a restaurant just near my train station.
Voyeur!
