Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Travel Photos: #0003

Check out this groovy lost temple at the zoo in lovely Audubon Park in New Orleans, from a visit on May 6, 2008.







Perhaps it was all those Robert E. Howard stories I read as a teenager, lost cities in desert, island and jungle - all populated with gibbering, toothy-mawed horrors and/or the last perverse shreds of humanity - repugnant charades of civilization drenched in madness and orgy - and all soon to know the business end of Conan's mighty hewing sword! Or perhaps my dad and stepmom were right - that the living energy that is the true meaning of each of us returns to wear the mobile meat box over and over again, that for each of us there are past lives to which images like these might speak. Whatever the reasons, scenes of lost civilization really resonate for me, whether Detroit 2010 or the truly ancient - long and then almost countless generations to reach the times of the Khmer Empire (1,200 years ago), Greece (2,800 years ago), Ancient Egypt (5,100 years ago), Sumeria (7,000 years ago!). Indeed, any one of us is only dust in the wind - like one of so many ants.

In the meantime, that fountain feature in the last photo would make a great and do-able centerpiece for a ruins-themed backyard micro-pool/patio/hot tub area. Where this one has stone eyes I'd leave a hollowed out chamber where you could light a fire.

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