Bridges

What Are Bridges?

Bridges are built to span across physical obstacles like road, bodies of water or valleys so that a passage is provided for vehicles, people and goods to move. Stones and rocks in a river or fallen trees can be a bridge. Ancient Romans were great bridge builders. Chinese bridges existed during the time of the Warring States with the oldest being the Zhaozhou Bridge. Rope bridges were used by the Inca civilization in the Andes.

After a breakthrough in technology, the first cast iron bridge was built in England in 1779. Then wrought iron was introduced before larger bridges were built with steel. There are all kinds of bridges - movable bridges which are electrically-powered for traffic and boats to move through, suspension bridge that are suspended by cable, arch bridges, cable bridges, beam bridges and cantilever bridges.

Usage Of Bridges

Bridges are designed for many different purposes. Some are for vehicles, pedestrian or trains. Others are used to transport water through water pipelines. A viaduct is a bridge that connects points of equal height. Some homeless people make their homes under bridges. Many bridges are built taller than necessary so as to be iconic landmarks.

Some bridges in Singapore are the Cavenagh Bridge over the Singapore River. Read Bridge, Helix Bridge (latest), Robertson Bridge, Henderson Wave Bridge, Anderson Bridge and the Benjamin Sheares Bridge.

Famous Bridges

Some of the world famous bridges are the Tower Bridge and Humber Bridge in the UK, Brooklyn Bridge (New York), Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco) in the USA, Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge (Kobe) in Japan, Millau Birdge in France, Hangzhou Bay Bridge in China, Magdeburg Water Bridge n Germany, Oliveira Bridge in Brazil.

Some businesses name their products or services after bridges. My company names all our owned vessels (ships) after bridges around the world. Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Harbour Bridge, Tower Bridge, etc.

Human Bridge

What is the main purpose of a bridge? It is a connection between two points. A connection between two points connects two land, two countries, two people. Therefore, one of the greatest purpose of a bridge is to connect people. When you connect people you are building friendship. When you build friendship, you improve ties and creates businesses. This one in Singapore was done in 1868.

Look at the sophistication even way back then.

Bridges are beautiful but very often we take them for granted.

Sometimes we used bridges in our quotes such as "When we come to the bridge then we cross it" meaning that we will decide when it is the right time to decide or do things. For golfers, sometimes you have not even come to the bridge, you top the ball and you go under it. Lol. Then when everything is over you would say: " All these are water under the bridge". It is over it has already flowed past and the problem is over.

Simon & Garfunkel waxed lyrical way back then in 1969. We haven't had that spirit here since 1969. Bridge Over Troubled Water: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVDg8fVC4EQ

Songs like these stays on from country to country, town to town and stays alive. Paul Simon wrote this song to provide comfort for a person in need. The song topped both the US and UK charts at the same time and only very few songs have done that. The "Silver Girl" mentioned in the song was his wife who found silver hair on her head. It won five Grammys and was Columbia Records' best-selling ever. It was the last album before Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel split.

What were they trying to tell us way back in 1969? More than anything else, we will always need friends for no man is an island. We are social animals, communal by nature. So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen build bridges of friendship wherever you go. Be a bridge over troubled waters and yes by the way, whatever happens please do not ever "Burn Your Bridges!" You never know when you will need to cross back.

I leave you to have a wonderful weekend with your loved ones and friends. Lots of love!!