This report of the last London meeting on the 1st December is written
by Padmassana.
John Hornbuckle’s wonderful slides took us around Chile. He showed
us the wildlife and landscape of the country. Though John began with a
slide of an owl, this was a topical Harry Potter joke, he went on to show
us photos of birds that can only be found in the Andes and animals like
the Vicuna. He went on to tell us about Arica, which until recently was
the driest place on earth, Lauca National Park in northern Chile. We saw
photos of snow-capped mountains and volcano’s. John’s slides then showed
us the salt area of Salar de Uyuni and down to the far south via the hot
springs of El Tatio.
After the break, Denise Heywood showed us Vietnam, without too
many references to the war. She explained that over 60% of the population
were born after 1975 and showed us photo’s of the children, who are Vietnams
future. Denise showed us colonial French architecture, such as the Opera
House, which is a copy of the one in Paris and towns like Hoi An and Na
Trang. She also showed us the Cu chi tunnels left over from the war, which
are difficult for westerners to enter. These tunnels led into underground
schools, hospitals that the Vietnamese operated in during the war, there
are hundreds of miles of tunnels going as far as the Cambodian border.
Coming on 5th January: Four Mini-Talk Presentations
and New Year Party – a programme of four twenty minute talks, offering
a format that aims to offer the opportunity for different, specialist
and off beat subjects and first time speakers.
After the meeting we will be having our annual New Year Party, please
bring a contribution of food and non-alcoholic drink
London meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court,
behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Gardenat
2.30pm the first Saturday of each month. For more information, you
can contact the Globetrotters Info line on +44 (0) 20 8674 6229, or visit
the website: www.globetrotters.co.uk