Footnotes to a Conversation, October 14, 2024

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.” – William Morris

Places of Healing

Architect Jacques Herzog says hospitals are the ugliest places in the world, and he set out to do it differently with the new Zurich children’s hospital. With sloping wooden ceilings and large windows, the patient rooms feel more like a mountain chalet than a hospital. “There are child-friendly touches throughout, from a low-level reception desk, so kids can see over it when they arrive, to cushion-filled cubbyholes and corridors wide enough for ping pong and football to take over … the walls are even coated to encourage scribbling” and there’s “a hole in the elevator so you can see into the shaft.” [The Guardian]

Preparing for a Hurricane at the Zoo

Flamingos like hanging out with humans, so they take regular strolls around the zoo together. When the time comes, they’re ready to walk from their outdoor enclosures to hurricane-proof shelters. The howler monkeys are taught how to lock themselves into their transport crates so they can be taken to safety. “Facilities also tend to have emergency generators, and access to emergency refrigerator trucks. They trim back trees. They stockpile food, water and other critical supplies in centralised locations that are easily accessed by staff. But they also need to secure stable supply chains for food that cannot be preserved for long, like fresh eucalyptus branches for koalas … And at least somebody on Terrell's rideout team has to know how to make the heart medication milkshake for their geriatric anteater, Cruz.” [BBC]

Turkish Cheese

Kars, a Turkish city located near the Georgian and Armenian borders, is home to cheesemaking traditions inherited from Russian exiles and is the cheese capital of Turkey. “Local cheesemakers use original production methods. Staying true to its essence affects its taste, which helps with its popularity … The use of copper cauldrons in production, the use of original wooden shovels and the meticulous use of traditional methods in the ageing and ripening stages of the cheese are the elements that make it so special and delicious." [BBC]

Metal Boxes or Medieval Churches

We travel to Europe to admire the historic buildings, and tourism strengthens local economies. However, iconic public spaces are turned into parking lots. Take a look at a series of before-and-after photographs that demonstrate how beauty is restored when you eliminate the cars. [Politico]

Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.

If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.