Wild Webmink

Pantheon Roof, a photo by webmink on Flickr.

Probably the most amazing artefact of the ancient world I have seen, the Pantheon in Rome, started life as a Roman temple to all the gods around 27 BC. When it became a Christian church in 609 AD it was already as mature a building as a medieval church would be to us today. It is still splendid, 2000 years old and going strong. I first saw it when I was in my mid-teens and it’s one of those places in the world (like Mono Lake and Yosemite Valley) always guaranteed to awe me no matter how many times I visit.

It is an amazing leveller for me. It’s easy to imagine those ancient people were primitive, that our technology and culture is superior. No amount of words and explanation can dispel that intuition. Wandering modern Rome and seeing those piles…

Eco Mower, a photo by webmink on Flickr.

Cows are respected as a symbolic spiritual presence in India. They roam the streets freely and are described as “sacred”.

I took this photograph on the Raj Path in Delhi. One of the gardeners there was using the cow to pull the lawn mower, and rewarding the cow with luscious grass clippings. All very eco-friendly and practical!

Just because something is sacred, that doesn’t mean it can’t also be useful! Make the most of your sacred cows…