> Is there an unwritten requirement that IETFs are placed to afford
> us sightseeing?
Maybe we should add a pointer to the local "things to see and do in
Ireland" page to the Meetings page.
As an engineer, I would very much encourage people to stay an extra
day and tour NewGrange. Imagine the engineering challenge. One day,
some guy walks into a valley with a few rolling hills in it:
http://picasaweb.google.com/FredBakerSBA/
SaintPatrickSDayInIreland/photo#5141698100648551458
He decides that there just really needs to be a passage tomb in which
light shines on the magic spot for 17 minutes on the winter equinox
and maybe the day before and after. He then proceeds to build a hill,
by mounding rocks in corbel construction (which is one way that
cathedral builders build arches, the other common one being keystone
construction), covering it with dirt, and decorating it with other
rocks brought from a site 80 km away.
http://picasaweb.google.com/FredBakerSBA/
SaintPatrickSDayInIreland/photo#5141698147893191794
So, no problem. there is no such thing as an engineering drawing. But
he explains to his son (who 20 years later explains to his son, who
20 years later explains to his son, who 20 years later explains to
his son, who 20 years later explains to his son) what he wants built,
and ends with the punchline "when all is said and done, the light
stops here". The community walks 80 km to get rocks, carries baskets
of dirt, and even picks up small things like the notion of putting
gravel between the layers of rock to prevent them from grinding each
other to sand. The result of his effort is a passage tomb that
survives to this day, 5000 years later.
I think the engineering is fascinating...
More pictures at
http://picasaweb.google.com/FredBakerSBA/SaintPatrickSDayInIreland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgrange
http://www.dublinbus.ie/sightseeing/index.aspx
http://www.irelandby.com/sightseeing/sightseeing_dublin.htm
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