It was a hot summer day. The temperature was slightly above 30 degrees C but the humidity was below 60% and the heat was quite piercing. But in terms of photography colour temperature and white balance, the same colours will look more vibrant in summer than cooler months, so I can't complain.
We were taken around campus on a walkabout tour and the campus is filled with buildings of the 19th to early 20th Century architecture style that was prevalent in the US - Greek Revival Style. The main features of this style is the use of Classical Greek facade of the isosceles triangular tympanum and sima at the top with even number of corinthian columns. The main buildings walls are usually finished with red brick outer layer with Georgian windows that have grid-division white window panes.
For someone foreign to such architecture, it seemed that every building looks the same. The differences are with the building layout and dimension, thus it can make it more difficult for someone totally new to find a building as a landmark or signpost for directions.
The university was founded in the mid-1800s but the campus was burnt down in the 1912 fire. The current campus was rebuilt in the next few decades but retained the architecture style of the early late 19th to 20th Century.
The university sits on a huge site it does take a while to walk from end to end of the entire campus. There is vast spaces and fields in between clusters of buildings and the open spaces is a good change for me from the urban jungle at home. For someone who enjoys walking, this is just great! But in the summer, with the hot sun, it'll be necessary to wear sun-block lotion and ideally a hat.
The much beloved mascot with a shell
The UMD mascot is the terrapin. It is indigenous to Maryland and it is considered a good luck charm for people who believe in what I would call 'object-associated serendipity'. I do not believe in that but it was amusing to hear that those who may be desperate to pass their examinations would rub the nose of the bronze-cast terrapin sculpture (picture below)
Well, if the terrapin had a chronic sinus problem, it would have really appreciated the regular supply of free 'hand wipes' it gets from examination-stressed students and visitors. Heh heh heh...
The UMD sports teams also believe in the effect of good luck charm. We were told that it was stolen by rival college teams. It once got abducted as far as Florida! So the UMD folks had enough of the abduction and it was finally installed permanently into the concrete pedestal at the current location.
You will see many versions of this reptile on T-shirts and other gifts at the book store like the one below.... FEAR THE TURTLE!
Since the rival college sports teams are supposed to fear the turtle, I thought it would be really effective if there is a menacing giant turtle hidden in a lake somewhere around on campus and whenever there is an eminent threat, it could be called upon to crush the enemies, like Godzilla or the super heroes in the Hollywood movies. May be this could be named as Terpzilla! Well, I created a possible scenario with Photoshop (see below)...
I have considered the issue of 'sustainability' for this super hero, so Terpzilla has a child.. here in the pond at the heart of the campus, and I shall name Terpzilla Junior 'Terppie'.
Till I write again.... cheerios
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