Most people laugh when I tell them. I have a history degree. Well, then, how did I end up with my nose in a laptop instead of a 450-year-old publication on the English Civil War? Great question. I suppose it’s part of what makes me, me. After too many pancakes this morning and some wonderful French-pressed coffee, I was reading the Sunday edition of the local paper and came to one of my favorite sections on page 2A called: Highlight in History. One of the highlights read:

New York. 1883. The Brooklyn Bridge opened and immediately hailed as The Eighth Wonder of the World.

So, what makes something wonderful? Is it in the eye of the beholder, or the creator, or is it just so? The ice cream cone was invented on this day in 1904. To me, that’s pretty wonderful. My wife’s laughing at me. “C’mon though, that’s just an ice cream cone”, she says. I’m fairly sure that had Charles E. Menches never thought of it, someone would have. But what for the things in this world that everyone sees as wonderful?

Wikipedia has a great write-up on The Seven Wonders of the World. The ancient, modern, technological, underwater, and natural wonders are all covered. Of the items that made the lists, which have you seen? And do you think they’re worthy? Cast your vote to weigh in.

My wife and I have been very lucky to have been able to visit some of the places on the handful of Seven Wonders lists, and I gotta tell you, they’re really something. We’ve stood alongside the edge of the Zambezi River as its waters roared over Victoria Falls (and even chanced our lives rafting the most dangerous rapids in the world). Not a rain cloud in sight, but a slicker very much required. We’ve raced through the English Channel Chunnel on the Eurostar a few times—London, Paris; Paris, London. I’ve climbed to the top of the Empire State Building for a great view of the second greatest city in the world (sorry NYers, I was born in Boston). We’ll cross the Golden Gate Bridge this year November, and aim to knock a few more off the list before we call it quits.

But I can’t help think of the places we’ve traveled to which aren’t on any wonders lists, and maybe should be. I’ve stood inside the Sistine Chapel and stared at the ceiling so long my neck hurt. I’ve hopped out on a few rocks at the southern-most tip of the African continent soaking my feet in the water where the Indian meets the Atlantic. I’ve seen a bull fight in Madrid, drank warm whisky in freezing Scotland, covered my eyes in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, spent a day at Ikea in Quebec, walked The Louvre end-to-end, drove across the highest paved road in Colorado’s Rockies, and seen the world’s largest clock face in Zurich. I’m very fortunate to say the list goes on. But of these few, I certainly consider them wonders in their own right. And my list is growing longer everyday. Should some of these be “wonders”? Maybe just for the two of us. Maybe for others as well. I was thrilled to see the New 7 Wonders organization holding an open vote on the topic. Now our wonders have the chance to become wonders for others.

I wonder if Washington Roebling thought his Brooklyn Bridge—”the 8th wonder of the world”—would be outdone by this long list of other bridges? Because they’re pretty wonderful—especially the Millau Viaduct in France.

This is the 204th day of 2006, and there are 161 days left in the year. What else happened today?

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 23rd, 2006 at 6 pm and is filed under charleston, history, home, life, me, news, photography, this day in history, travel.