Teahouse in China

I have actually found a travelogue of what one could truly call a "journey of wonder." There is a widely-renowned tea house in China that only the fittest and most determined of people can reach. The journey begins with a tram ride up to the beginning of the mountain trail, though it actually isn't much of a trail. For a majority of the hike, you are clinging on for dear life onto a variety of bolts and chains fastened into rock walls as you shimmy across the walls on very narrow planks that are also bolted into the rock. Sound appealing?

It seems to get steeper and more precarious until you finally reach the top:the Tea House.


For some reason, I want to go and do this so badly! It looks so dangerous, but adventurous and fun! I'll bet the views are, quite literally, breathtaking. What a rush you would get on the side of some of those cliffs. I think these sorts of adventures are amazing, because they would never let anyone do anything like that in the US...there are way too many liabilities involved. You would have to sign a waiver or something at least. I really wonder how much business that tea house actually gets... and do the employees live there? What an interesting way of life that would be! This would be an incredible journey of wonder if I were ever able to do it. It's now on my list.

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Elephant Painter

I really want to know exactly what kind of teaching or training is behind this one. I really have trouble believing that it is real, but that is what is so amazing about it: I'm fairly certain that it is real. Watch this video:

Elephant Paints a Portrait

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I can't see how this could possibly be faked, but how could it be real? He follows the lines to darken them, perfectly, and he actually draws it better than I even could... I wonder if he knows what he is drawing or is just trained to draw lines and shapes in that manner... It really just blew me away when I saw it. Do we underestimate their creative abilities? Or is it because we are taught that humans are one of the only animals capable of creativity or self-expression that we find this sort of thing really difficult to believe? I wonder how someone from an animistic cosmological view would perceive of this video. They believe in the intelligence and animation of life, so would it make it more believable for them to watch an elephant painting a self-portrait? You really need to stop and think about how your upbringing may influence the way you perceive your surroundings or things that may give you wonder. It may surprise you what you'll learn about yourself.

Unexpected Love

I've always loved hearing stories about animals who have taken others of a different species under their wing and cared for them. Orphans who have no one to care for them because their mothers have abandoned them or have been killed suddenly find an unexpected friend to guide them through their need. I think that the photos of this really grab your emotions; it's just a really remarkable act to see an animal volunteer their time and energy to the raising of another species.


Baby piglets wearing costumes to match their "mother!" Link

Dachshund and baby goat. Link

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It's really difficult not to anthropomorphize in these cases where you really think that you see love and affection coming out of these animals. While it is highly likely that animal mothers take in these different species out of love and that motherly instinct, you can't assume that these animals are feeling the same emotions as humans in these actions. Regardless, I think it is really an amazing and touching thing to see other mothers volunteer to take in young animals of another species.

Wooden Corvettes

My roommate is a crafts major at VCU, and one of her material studies of choice is wood. She makes beautiful and very intricate little boxes and bowls that have been accumulating on the shelves throughout our apartment. She gets the lids to fit so tightly and perfectly that it is just a wonder how she does it. In her woodworking, she doesn't always create a smooth finish, but rather she often leaves a layer of the natural bark somewhere in her work. This is one of the most unique elements of her woodworking style, in my opinion. Being around her art and the tools she uses to work the wood has given me a much greater appreciation for the time, creativity and effort that goes into intricate woodworking. So when I stumbled upon this artist, I was really in awe with the depth, elaborate nature and sheer size of his work. Unfortunately, on the website where I found his artwork, I was unable to find anything about the artist, although he does appear in some of the photos. I would love to give credit to this very creative artist:



I think the fact that a lot of this art is utilitarian is another amazing asset to it. While a lot of it is useful, it is in very unconventional ways. Carving a car-boat out of wood that can actually function in the water? That is just ingenious. This artist really provokes wonder in the way he engineers his woodworking so creatively and uniquely.