Thursday August 12, 2004

Places

Underground... had the chance to re-visit Geevor tin mine on Monday. I haven't been into the heritage site since 1989 or so. Today you can pour over the surface structures that support the 20th century mine and go underground into a 17th/18th century mine (Wheal Mexico). This tour is a walk in tour into the hillside. I find it hard to believe with the amount of workings on the surface they just happen to miss this original mine until just recently. I suspect it may have been helped along in this century.

This is all in total contrast to the mine tour in 1989 where you actually went deep into the 20th century mine and down to level 15. The mine is underwater upto the third level now.

If you are ever near the end of the Cornwall penninsular and have always wondered what the strange derelict buildings are scattered all over Cornwall I'd recommend a visit to Geevor.

(2004-08-12 08:13:45.0) Permalink Comments [1]

Books

Babel-17... the good thing about having a holiday is that I normally get time to read an entire book within a couple of days. Normally I only get to snatch a fifteen minutes here and there which is very unsatisfying.

Last week I had the chance to read Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany. Readable with a few interesting points that demand a second look. Style totally different to Peter F. Hamilton who has been my main read for last few years. Delany glosses over many terms he introduces, such as hyperstasis, and leaves the reader to conjure up their own concepts. Whereas Hamilton does the opposite. Hamilton goes the full mile in describing in great detail what every thing is and mostly how it works (within the realm of sci-fi of course).

Oh well, until May next year when Pandora's Star finally arrives in paperback I will have to search for something else to read...

(2004-08-12 06:54:17.0) Permalink