I consider myself to be a lover of all things history. Most people my age consider this admission to be something geeky. Nowadays, it's hard to find people within my age range interested in history. Rather, I find them more interested trivial things like the latest high-street brands, shoes, handbags and what nots. If not that, they're far to busy concerning themselves with the plight of their social status among their peers and strangers.
Yup, I think I just made myself sound like an old hag there. Hahaha. I think nowadays there's an unwritten taboo with admitting to people that you have a passion for these sorts of things. A fathoming fear that you maybe labeled a "geezer", "senior", "boring" , "geeky", "nerdy" or even (brace for it....) "uncool" *GASP! E-GADS!!*
Hey, I can be ungeeky! Even if I wanted to, I suppose I could be "cool" - even UBER cool - even if I still dive the tip of my nose deep down into the fathoms depths of the book pages. It doesn't bother me - at least not anymore. Took me a while to train myself to not care but in the end I think I've managed well.
I love history... because it satiates my brain's hunger for knowledge. It's an appetising delight to my flaming curiosity and if you've got a problem with that... then you can simply stuff it up your *ehem: you know where!* :)
Sooooo... we went to the town of Waterloo yesterday after Didi (one of the staff from the office) told us the significance of this place. Before proceeding to do our weekend grocery shopping, we were taken to check out this big tourist place. Plenty of tourists, buses and cafes... smacked down in the middle of a vast barren field of... nothing - nothing except a HUGE grassy mound rising from the ground. It was looked like a cone pyramid covered in grass. MONUMENTAL and GIGANTIC!
.The Visitor's Entrance.
This was Waterloo - the site of one of the greatest battles fought in Europe. It was where Napoleon Bonaparte (the Emperor of France, a supposedly short, wee stumpy French man with a complex disorder) and his troops of French soldiers were defeated, consequently resulting in the end of his rule. If you'd briefly like to know more about this: you can check out this wikipedia site.
Napoleon, oh Napoleon.
.The Panorama and Entrance hall of the Lion's Hill.
This place was definitely a sight to see! This huge hill was created in the middle of the barren field. Nothing grows around this place and sitting on the peak of this was a large majestic statue of a lion to commemorate the death of a royalty who fought and died during the battle: Prince of Orange.
To reach the top of this hill, you have to climb 228 steps and the sight waiting for you on top is definitely rewarding! BUT... for those lazy people, for a minor fee there's a bus that's willing to take you to the top... or at least, I think there is! Hehehe.
History has it that the Lion's Hill was created after the defeat of Napoleon. It was made without any use of technology: simple hard, back-breaking work of people carrying pails of dirt and sand on their backs over and over again until at last they created the Lion's Hill. Imagine what the world would look like from the top of the thing? especially during sunrise and sunset!!
.Another view: just to show you guys the steps.
Here's something interesting: Legend has it that the statue of the lion was made by melted metal from guns and weapons left by the French after the battle!
.Mom and Dad waiting to go up but decided not to.
Yesterday however, we didn't go on top of the hill. Dad thought it would be much better once we explore the site as one whole family. To be honest, I think dad was really missing my sister and my two brothers. So guys... we're saving this exploration climb and tour for you!!!
Yup, I think I just made myself sound like an old hag there. Hahaha. I think nowadays there's an unwritten taboo with admitting to people that you have a passion for these sorts of things. A fathoming fear that you maybe labeled a "geezer", "senior", "boring" , "geeky", "nerdy" or even (brace for it....) "uncool" *GASP! E-GADS!!*
Hey, I can be ungeeky! Even if I wanted to, I suppose I could be "cool" - even UBER cool - even if I still dive the tip of my nose deep down into the fathoms depths of the book pages. It doesn't bother me - at least not anymore. Took me a while to train myself to not care but in the end I think I've managed well.
I love history... because it satiates my brain's hunger for knowledge. It's an appetising delight to my flaming curiosity and if you've got a problem with that... then you can simply stuff it up your *ehem: you know where!* :)
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.Bottom view of the hill.
.Bottom view of the hill.
Sooooo... we went to the town of Waterloo yesterday after Didi (one of the staff from the office) told us the significance of this place. Before proceeding to do our weekend grocery shopping, we were taken to check out this big tourist place. Plenty of tourists, buses and cafes... smacked down in the middle of a vast barren field of... nothing - nothing except a HUGE grassy mound rising from the ground. It was looked like a cone pyramid covered in grass. MONUMENTAL and GIGANTIC!
.The Visitor's Entrance.
This was Waterloo - the site of one of the greatest battles fought in Europe. It was where Napoleon Bonaparte (the Emperor of France, a supposedly short, wee stumpy French man with a complex disorder) and his troops of French soldiers were defeated, consequently resulting in the end of his rule. If you'd briefly like to know more about this: you can check out this wikipedia site.
Napoleon, oh Napoleon.
.The Panorama and Entrance hall of the Lion's Hill.
This place was definitely a sight to see! This huge hill was created in the middle of the barren field. Nothing grows around this place and sitting on the peak of this was a large majestic statue of a lion to commemorate the death of a royalty who fought and died during the battle: Prince of Orange.
To reach the top of this hill, you have to climb 228 steps and the sight waiting for you on top is definitely rewarding! BUT... for those lazy people, for a minor fee there's a bus that's willing to take you to the top... or at least, I think there is! Hehehe.
History has it that the Lion's Hill was created after the defeat of Napoleon. It was made without any use of technology: simple hard, back-breaking work of people carrying pails of dirt and sand on their backs over and over again until at last they created the Lion's Hill. Imagine what the world would look like from the top of the thing? especially during sunrise and sunset!!
.Another view: just to show you guys the steps.
Here's something interesting: Legend has it that the statue of the lion was made by melted metal from guns and weapons left by the French after the battle!
.Mom and Dad waiting to go up but decided not to.
Yesterday however, we didn't go on top of the hill. Dad thought it would be much better once we explore the site as one whole family. To be honest, I think dad was really missing my sister and my two brothers. So guys... we're saving this exploration climb and tour for you!!!
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