LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Sunday, October 20, 2013

History Is ... A Castle!

El V's off to Cardiff in a couple days, to spend five days at the annual World Music Exposition.  While there he will present the life-time achievement award to Juan Formell and the immortal Cuban group, Los Van Van.

Serendipitously today's (Sunday) New York Time travel section highlights "36 Hours in Cardiff," which opening slug starts:
Dive deep into Welsh history ...
This historic deep dive consists of  ... two hours at Cardiff Castle, prior to assuming the real obligation of a tourist -- shopping.


However, I must say what there is to experience at Cardiff Castle seems quite wonderful and useful to our sorts, though it would surely take more than two hours?
... Cardiff Castle, a site that combines Roman ruins, an 11th-century castle keep and an ornate, neo-Gothic clock tower built at the height of Cardiff’s coal boom. Climb to the top of the keep — which was thought to have been built by Robert Fitzhamon, a Norman baron — for a view over the city and the green hills beyond. In the basement of the interpretation center, a small museum offers an engaging account of more than 300 years of Welsh military history, covering the American Revolutionary War (and even earlier) through to more recent battles with the Taliban. Look out for the tattered American flag that United States troops surrendered to a regiment of Welsh soldiers at Fort Detroit during the War of 1812. 
We were reading the account of this surrender again last night in Henry Adams's History.

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