“A sandcastle is not fixed and given but is fluid and changing. Tunnels and towers may collapse as the sun shines; the fortifications may get undermined. The work of erosion and sedimentation may slowly alter the sandcastle or there may be sudden ruptures as the walls collapse.”
So writes distinguished professor John Urry of the Department of Sociology at Lancaster University, UK, in ‘Travels in Paradox: Remapping Tourism’ (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006)
In other words :
“Sandcastles are tangible yet fragile constructions. They only come about through drawing together certain objects, mobilities and proximities.”
Given the transient nature of a sandcastle (as outlined above) might one ask “What’s the point of building one?” This question is to be tackled in ‘Sandcastles in academia (part 2 -the point)’