Tuesday 31 October 2017

Saturday, October 28th, 2017

St. John’s, Newfoundland

Messages and Mantras

Hayagriva, Marshall and I took an additional but short walk to Signal Hill, the famous location where the first-ever telegraph was received.  It was in 1901, on December 12th, that Marconi heard on his headset the wireless Morse codes sent from England on top of this hill some 2000 miles away.

We were fascinated by this piece of information, especially the boys who came here for the first time.  At the base of the hill is a Sea Centre which has interesting exhibits, one of which includes the event of the Titanic’s sinking.  In fact, the mighty ship that set sail in April of 1912 hit the ocean’s bottom at a depth of  2.4 miles, a mere 500 or more kilometres from the sight where we were walking.

A section of the exhibit showcases quotes from people like George Bernard Shaw, who in his own eloquent words, was highly critical of flaws made in the search attempt, or lack of it, for passengers aboard the vessel.  And there’s a quote also from Phillips who was receiving telegraph messages, warning of the dangerous ice and who responded to them with a “Shut up! Shut up! I’m busy…”

Newfoundlanders, though,  are indeed friendly.  You’ll be walking along, and someone who sees you will just break out into a conversation.  The sweetness of the islanders was also felt when we spoke at the Hindu Temple off Penny Lane in St. John’s.  People of Asian and Western stock turned up to hear from Chapter Six of the Gita on the theme, “The Mind—Best Friend or Worst Enemy.”

What truly came across as ‘friendly’ exercise was our chanting aerobics where all who attended got up on their feet, not to walk, but to dance to the beat of the drum and the cry of the mantra.

May the Source be with you!

6 km

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