Transatlantic

I don't think Luke actually slept at all last night, but I woke up at 5.30 and less than an hour later we were on our way (via car/train/bus) to Edinburgh Airport for his flight to New York. Sad to say good bye, but we will meet again at the end of August. Exciting times ahead!

I took the tram back into Edinburgh and spent the afternoon at the Botanic Garden, which was looking glorious in the sunshine (see extra). My blip is a still from a film showing there as part of an exhibition about the species of tree which produces gutta-percha, a kind of rubber which was used in Victorian times for all kinds of things from dentistry to furniture. It was also a good insulator for early undersea telegraph cables.

The story of the first transatlantic cable laid by the Great Eastern is pretty exciting and laid the foundations for our information age. Five attempts were made to lay the cable between Ireland and Newfoundland before success was finally achieved in 1866.  In 1858, a message had been sent from England : "Europe and America are united by telegraphy. Glory to God in the highest, peace and good will toward men."  In those days, a telegram of 98 words took 16 hours to send.

I like this engraving of the cable coming ashore in Newfoundland, with letters spilling out of it. As they do today - but a little faster.

And a song for Luke - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UVfi8mqNCAk