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Anping Bridge

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Anping Bridge

Sometimes you need to build a bridge as long as Anping Bridge, to get over it.

  • Anping Bridge is a particularly long bridge found across the Shijing River estuary, near the city of Quanzhou, in the Fujian Province in China.
  • ‘Anping Bridge’ is also known as ‘Wuli Bridge’ or by its literal translation ‘Five Li Bridge’, ‘five li’ being its length.
  • Anping Bridge spreads a length of 2070 metres (1.29 miles) and has a width ranging from 3 to 3.8 metres (9.8 to 12.5 feet).
  • The construction of Anping Bridge lasted 13 years, beginning in 1138 AD and finishing in 1151 AD; and the bridge connects the two towns at either end, Anhai (originally known as ‘Anping’) and Shuitou, that lay in different counties.
  • Large stone bricks and beams make up Anping Bridge, with 362 spans in the original construction, although the bridge is now shorter and has only 331 spans.
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Anping Bridge
Image courtesy of Wikemdia Commons
  • Anping Bridge is among the longest bridges built in ancient times, and prior to 1905, it was China’s longest bridge.
  • Anping Bridge once had five pavilions to provide a resting site for those crossing the bridge, however today only one exists.
  • A large amount of silt has built up around the Anping Bridge, causing the waters to become more like a wetland in some areas, and somewhat separated rather than one large body of water.
  • Due to Anping Bridge being an ancient structure, it has been listed as a protected site by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China, since 1961.
  • Since the completion of Anping Bridge, there have been six large scale renovations or repairs on the bridge.
Bibliography:
Anping Bridge, 2015, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anping_Bridge
 Anping Bridge, China’s Longest Ancient Bridge, 2016, Amusing Planet, http://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/04/anping-bridge-chinas-longest-ancient.html
Anping Bridge in Fuzhou, 2014, Cultural China, http://arts.cultural-china.com/en/85Arts8911.html

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Loquat

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Loquat

Loquats are another of those great sweet and tangy combinations.

  • Loquats are a variety of fruit that likely originated in China, and they were probably brought into Japan where they became very abundant and have long been cultivated.
  • ‘Loquats’ are also known as ‘Japanese plums’, ‘Chinese plums’ and Japanese Medlar.
  • The tree that loquats grow on has the scientific name Eriobotrya japonica, and it is from the family Rosaceae, the family of roses.
  • Loquats are roughly spherical, ovoid or pear-like in shape, and they typically range between 2.5 to 5 centimetres (1 to 2 inches) in length.
  • The edible skin of loquats is generally an orange or yellow colour, occasionally with a red tinge, while the flesh is usually coloured orange, yellow or white.
Loquat, Fruit, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Culinary, Food, Vegetation, Orange, Yellow, Growing
Loquat
Image courtesy of Larry Hoffman/Flickr
  • There are more than 800 varieties of loquats, and some are grown in subtropical locations; while the world’s leading producer of the fruit in 2007 was China, producing 83% of the world’s production of 549,220 tonnes (605,411 tons).
  • Loquats usually have a sweet tangy taste, and are said to taste like a combination of fruits, often tropical in flavour.
  • Loquats are commonly eaten fresh, or in a fruit salad or cooked in pies, and they can be made into jams, syrups, jelly, condiments and sweets.
  • Generally loquats have three to five large brown seeds in the centre of the fruit, and while they are not edible, a liqueur can be made from them.
  • Loquats are high in vitamin A and are a good source of fibre, manganese and potassium, and they contain many other vitamins and minerals.
Bibliography:
Loquat, 2013, Purdue University, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/loquat.html
Loquat, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loquat
Rawlinson L, Loquats: Here’s What You Do With Them, 2015, Full and Content, http://www.fullandcontent.com/loquats-here-s-what-you-do-with-them.html

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Wolfsbane

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Wolfsbane

Don’t let wolfsbane be the bane of your life!

  • Wolfsbane is a genus of highly toxic perennial plants, found in the mountainous regions across Asia, Europe and North America.
  • The scientific name of the wolfsbane is Aconitum and it is from the family Ranunculaceae, the family of buttercups.
  • ‘Wolfsbane’ is also known as ‘monkshood’, ‘aconite’, ‘blue rocket’, ‘devil’s helmet’ and ‘women’s bane’, among others; and it is said to have been used as a method of killing troublesome wolves, hence one of the plant’s common names.
  • Wolfsbane typically grows to be a height of 0.6 to 1.2 metres (2 to 4 feet), and it is often used ornamentally in the garden, especially towards the back of a garden bed.
  • The blooms of wolfsbane are grouped along tall stems, and they are generally a blue or purple colour, though they can also be pink, yellow or white.
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Wolfsbane
Image courtesy of Randi Hausken/Flickr
  • Wolfsbane flowers are similar in appearance to a monk’s hood, and what appears to be five petals, are actually sepals.
  • Wolfsbane consists of pseudaconitine, a toxin that is very poisonous, and a person (or animal) can be poisoned by consuming any part of the plant, though touching the plant may also be hazardous, especially if one has open cuts or abrasions.
  • Wolfsbane poisoning can cause vomiting or nausea early on, leading to a burning feeling, weakness and numbness, and it usually affects the heart, often causing death within a short time-frame if left untreated.
  • Sunny locations are preferred by wolfsbane plants, although they can still survive in shade, and they grow from tubers; or new plants can be started from seed.
  • The toxic attribute of wolfsbane plants has not been neglected throughout history, as it has been used for both hunting, particularly for poison arrows, and assassination.
Bibliography:
Aconitum, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aconitum
Buchan U, How to Grow: Monkshood, 2015, The Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/11215801/How-to-grow-Monkshood.html
Rhoades J, Aconitum Monkshood: What is the Best Way to Grow Monkshood in the Garden, Gardening Know How, http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamenta l/flowers/monkshood/growing-monkshood-plants.htm

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Galápagos Penguin

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Galápagos Penguin

When the Galápagos penguin has all its friends on one island, there is trouble.

  • Galápagos penguins are a species of penguin native exclusively to the Galápagos Islands, in the Pacific Ocean near Ecuador.
  • The scientific name of the Galápagos penguin is Spheniscus mendiculus and it is from the family Spheniscidae, the family of penguins, and it is the sole species of penguin to exist above the equator.
  • Galápagos penguins are among the smallest penguins and generally range from 48 to 53 centimetres (19 to 21 inches) in height and 1.7 to 2.5 kilograms (3.7 to 5.5 pounds) in weight.
  • Galápagos penguins are a black colour with a white belly, and they have a thin white band coming from the eyes to the neck, and one that surrounds their belly.
  • The diet of Galápagos penguins consists primarily of small fish like pilchards, mullets and sardines, but also the occasional small crustacean.
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Some Galápagos penguins
Image courtesy of zpics/Flickr
  • Galápagos penguins have a particularly low population, estimated to be between 1000 and 2000 individuals, making it the species with the smallest number of penguins in the world.
  • Galápagos penguins are of an endangered status, with threats listed as oil pollution; fishing by humans; introduced pests and predators, including mosquitoes and cats; and the natural El Nino phenomenon, which reduces the quantity of food available to the penguins.
  • Keeping body heat cool is a major concern for the Galápagos penguin when not in water, so they expel heat through panting, resting in shade, spreading flippers out wide, and hunching over to keep their feet shaded.
  • Galápagos penguins build nests in cavities or protected areas among rocks, using a variety of items, and they mate for life, producing one to two eggs in the season, though only one chick may survive, and the parents share the responsibility of looking after the chick/s.
  • The lifespan of a Galápagos penguin is up to 15 to 20 years, though reaching this age is not common due to the high number of predators the bird has on land and in water, including seals, large fish, crabs, snakes, rats and large birds.
Bibliography:
Galapagos Penguin, 2016, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/galapagos-penguin/
Galapagos Penguin, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galapagos_penguin
Galapagos Penguin, n.d, Penguin World, http://www.penguinworld.com/types/galapagos.html
Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), n.d, Wildscreen Arkive, http://www.arkive.org/galapagos-penguin/spheniscus-mendiculus/
Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), n.d, Birdlife, http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3864

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Museo Subacuático de Arte

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Museo Subacuático de Arte

The Museo Subacuático de Arte takes things to a whole new level.

  • The Museo Subacuático de Arte is a museum of sculptures that can be found underwater, in the Mexican waters around the city of Cancun; the island Isla Mujeres; and the resort area Punta Nizuc; between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
  • The ‘Museo Subacuático de Arte’, literally means ‘Museum of Underwater Art’, and it is also known by the name ‘Cancun Underwater Museum’, while the acronym ‘MUSA’ is also used in reference to the museum.
  • More than 500 statues and sculptures populate the Museo Subacuático de Arte across two areas, the first area or ‘gallery’, as it is called, being Salon Manchones, featuring more than 470 statues at a depth of 8 metres (26 feet), and the second named Salon Nizuc with more than 20, at a depth of 4 metres (13 feet).
  • The Museo Subacuático de Arte was created with the intent to draw visitors away from the natural reefs nearby, that were suffering damage from tourism, to the artificial reefs formed in the museum; and it now attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
  • The shallow gallery area of the Museo Subacuático de Arte can be seen through a glass-bottom boat tour or snorkeling, while the deeper area can be viewed by scuba diving.
Museo Subacuático de Arte, Trivia, Ten Random Facts, Underwater Museum Cancun, Mexico, Car, Jason deClaire, Place, Art, Sculptures
An Exhibit of the Museo Subacuático de Arte
Image courtesy of snackariah/Flickr
  • The Museo Subacuático de Arte project was originally formed and coordinated by Jaime González Cano, the marine park director; Roberto Díaz Abraham, the Cancun Nautical Association President; and Jason deCaires Taylor, a sculptor from Britain.
  • Six different sculptors have contributed to the Museo Subacuático de Arte gallery, with the vast majority of pieces created by Jason deClaires Taylor; and there are replicas of some of the sculptures in a nearby visitors centre that is dedicated to the museum.
  • The sculptures of the Museo Subacuático de Arte are made with marine-friendly concrete, and originally had a combined weight of 181 tonnes (200 tons), and in 2015, they utilised a space greater than 420 square metres (4521 feet).
  • Due to the Museo Subacuático de Arte being located in the protected area of the National Marine Park of Cancun, a permit was required to sink sculptures in the water.
  • Exhibits of the Museo Subacuático de Arte began arriving in 2009, with the most recent sculpture being placed in 2013, though it is possible that many more will be added in the future, as the permit allows them to place up to 10,000 sculptures, though large amounts of funding is required to add more to the museum.
Bibliography:
Cancun Underwater Museum, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancun_Underwater_Museum
MEXICO: Jason deCaires Taylor’s Stunning Cancun Underwater Museum, 2013, Green Global Travel, http://greenglobaltravel.com/2013/08/14/jason-decaires-taylor-cancun-underwater-museum/
Museo Subacuático de Arte, 2016, MUSA, http://musamexico.org/
Nolan S, A real-life Atlantis: British artist creates stunning sculpture city under the sea off Mexico, 2013, Daily Mail Australia, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2463180/Jason-deCaires-Taylor-British-artists-unveils-latest-set-stunning-sub-aquatic-sculptures.html
 Projects: Mexico, n.d, Jason deCaires Taylor, http://www.underwatersculpture.com/projects/mexico/

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Breadfruit

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Breadfruit

Breadfruit is as much a staple as bread itself.

  • Breadfruit is a species of exotic fruit believed to be native to New Guinea and other nearby Pacific islands; and the fruit has yellow to light green skin when ripe, with a texture that is generally rough.
  • Numerous varieties of breadfruit have been developed, and the fruit grows on a tree with the scientific name Artocarpus altilis, from the family Moraceae, the family of figs and mulberries.
  • Depending on the variety, breadfruit is generally an oblong, round or ovoid shape, and can be 10 to 40 centimetres (4 to 16 inches) in length, between 7.5 to 33 cm (3 to 13 inches) in diameter, and can range in weight between 250 grams to 6 kilograms (0.5 to 13 pounds).
  • The texture and smell of breadfruit when cooked, is suggestive of bread, hence the fruit’s common name.
  • Breadfruit is typically cooked, in the form of roasting, boiling, baking, frying and the like, and is often mashed, or made into chips; or processed into flour; though some varieties of the fruit are eaten raw or used in dessert dishes or baked goods; and the seeds are also used as a food.
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Breadfruit
Image courtesy of Philip Tellis/Flickr
  • The tree of breadfruit can bear large quantities of fruit each season, generally from 50 to 200 individual fruits, which is somewhat determined by growing conditions and variety.
  • Breadfruit is found widespread in tropical areas today, spreading from its native home across the Pacific by islanders, and to the Caribbean by conquerors.
  • The flesh of breadfruit is usually a white to yellow colour, with a flavour that is much like that of a potato, and it is quite starchy and somewhat bland, though when very ripe, it is typically soft and sweet.
  • Breadfruit is very high in potassium and vitamin C, is a good source of carbohydrates and fibre, and has many other vitamins and minerals.
  • Breadfruit was once used to inexpensively feed slaves, and it has been cultivated as a staple food due to its versatility, significant energy content, and large yield capacity.
Bibliography:
Breadfruit, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breadfruit
Breadfruit, n.d, Australian Tropical Foods, http://www.australiantropicalfoods.com/index.php/exotic-fruits/breadfruit/
Siler J, ‘Food of the Future’ Has One Hitch: It’s All But Inedible, 2011, The Wall Street Journal, http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203752604576645242121126386
Breadfruit, 2016, National Tropical Botanical Garden, http://ntbg.org/breadfruit/breadfruit/
Breadfruit, n.d, Purdue Agriculture, https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/breadfruit.html

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