Genus loci.
I love this term, which means “sense (or spirit) of place.” Every place you go has its own feeling or mood that embodies the environment, people, habitats, architecture. I think this is especially true of natural places.
One place I’d love to visit is Appalachia. I watched a lovelydocumentary about this amazing part of the US, which was recently shown on PBS. I’ve long loved bluegrass music, so I’ve been meaning to delve into the region’s history to learn more about the folkways and cultures that gave birth to this musical genre. As with all good documentaries, the film truly captures the spirit of this place through historical images and recordings enhanced with more contemporary commentary. I was astonished by the diversity of this region whose natural beauty is endangered due to land-clearing and mountain-razing (a spectacularly devastating sight).
So I’ll try to make a visit to Appalachia my staycation this year. What region’s genus loci would you like to experience? Tell us!
{ M.E.W. }
