Appreciation

Remember my post about appreciating every little things in life? Well, this is another one. I am reminiscing the past and what I did when I was just a kid. And I remember reading this compilation of Majalah Mekar that was quite old and in those magazines, I found articles about UK. Basically stories about the author in London. And they were quite informative, describing the places and also include pictures, and also the history of some parts of London. And secretly hoping that one day, I would be able to walk around in this city.

For example, I remember the article on Trafalgar Square, how it used to be a battle and there were many birds around and there would be this big Chrismas tree every year..

Now it struck me shouldn't we try to know and learn about the places that we live? Sometimes I get a bit annoyed with expatriat teachers in Brunei having lived there for many years but have no interest at all to learn Malay language and its culture. Obviously I have been living in Brunei for almost all my life and that I went to Bruneian schools exposed to its history and all. And now I am betting international students who go to UK probably don't really know much of its (UK) history? Am I right? or wrong?

I don't know.. It is not important to know what the Marble Arch was for, or when was the London Eye built. I mean, I would understand if you say, 'who cares anyway?' When I first came here, I could not really care why there were guards changing in front of the Buckingham Palace would be so interesting to so many people.

But now, I feel that learning its history, or at least what it was famous for, would probably make us appreciate more of the places that we went to. What was really the point anyway to go to Westminster Abbey or the Big Ben if we don't really know what the hell these buildings are for, or at least why they were famous? Simply appreciating its beauty architect may not be enough but well...that is just my opinion.

I went to Paris last time and visited quite a lot of places in just a day but I don't really have a clue about what Sacre Cour really was, or the famous Notre Dame and the Arc the Triumph. I know... the Notre Dame was in the film 'Hunchback..' with the esmeralda and all those cartoon characters. The statues come to life. But it would be great to know more than that!

And in a week from now, I will be going to Italy and I DON'T really KNOW about the places that I would be visiting. :( which was why I need to go to the library and read up at least some of the places. I would be visiting Colloseum, Roman Forum, Circus Maximus, Palatine Hall, St. Peter's Basilica to name a few. Going to read them up, that is if time allows.

p.s. I know where Shrewsbury Castle and museum was. They happen to be just beside a road on the way to the train station and across the Shrewsbury library. would visit them someday.