What specifically connects an Asian capital city's etymology, a poem by a Nobel Prize winner concerning smooches and celestial edibles, and a dubious myth dabbling with an energetic competition for a hand in marriage?

great2beme

does the myth involve Atalanta? Feb 06 08, 6:42 PM

queproblema

Hey, let's play 20 Questions! Is the poet Neruda? Feb 06 08, 7:13 PM

peasypod

Oooh. Well, ok, yes it does involve Atalanta, but there ain't no banana without the 'why' 'how' or 'who' with the Nobel guy and the city... Feb 06 08, 10:54 PM

queproblema

That's not how you play 20 Q! Banana? How about an apple for the teacher? Though this might not be quite right. Still, I should get an "A" for "apple," I mean, effort. Atalanta let her sweetie win the race while she chased after apples. http://thanasis.com/modern/atarace.htm Almaty, or Alma-Ata, is the capital of Kazakhstan, otherwise known as the Garden of Eden, and means "the apple place." Or maybe it means "rich with apple" or "grandfather apple"--who knows? http://www.wfu.edu/~kourmb9/kaz/alma-ata.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almaty#Name Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda wrote "Ode to the Apple," which he describes as having just fallen from Paradise. The smoochie part would be a stretch. The poem is here in English and in Spanish after the photo essay. http://www.pbase.com/laine82/ode_to_the_apple Now this Neruda collection, "Full Woman, Fleshly Apple, Hot Moon," seems more promising regarding smooches. I don't know this book. http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0060928778/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-5741326-5603010#reader-link Feb 07 08, 12:19 AM

peasypod

So close but no, dearie. Right with Atalanta (as I did point out previously) but no to the Nobel dude. Perhaps my pal DukeDawson's AUra (no that's not a typo) and whereabouts might give away a huge clue... Try looking for a 'symbolist' poet, one for free verse and Irish folklore. Feb 07 08, 2:10 AM

queproblema

Well, Peasy, your clues are worse than your questions, but I guess you want a GOLDEN apple, so for starters before I dash out the door, how about Yeats "The Song of Wandering Aengus"? http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/1.html There are numerous other possibilities. You didn't say anything about Almaty. Oh--here it is-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_apple Feb 07 08, 11:07 AM

queproblema

Scroll down this page to find a sculpted golden apple fountain in Almaty. Click on it for a huge enlargement. Disregard the reference to New Zealand at the top. http://talesfromtheclio.blogspot.com/2007/11/almaty.html Feb 07 08, 1:04 PM

great2beme

so if the Atalanta myth is about an apple and the sculpture in Almaty involves an apple than the answer would be an apple. Just need the poet. Feb 07 08, 1:53 PM

peasypod

Alrighty. It is a Golden Apple (see my Westchester reference to DukeDawson), you have Yeats now, but no-one here seems to be able to give me the CAPITAL city in ASIA... No Banana til then. Feb 07 08, 2:57 PM

great2beme

oh Astana is capital of Kazakstan not Almaty Feb 07 08, 4:07 PM

DukeDawson

Tashkent! Feb 07 08, 4:09 PM

Baloo55th

Bless you! Feb 07 08, 4:17 PM

great2beme

Atalanta, Yeats and Tashkent? Feb 07 08, 4:27 PM

great2beme

The golden apple is the connection. The capital city is Almaty meaning "rich with apple", the poet is Yeats and the myth is Atalanta. Feb 07 08, 4:39 PM

peasypod

Oh dear. Very good effort there great2, but no, the capital city is not Almaty. For a very good reason---it's not a capital city (not anymore at least) This capital in question actually translates to the name of another fruit which is sometimes referred to as a Golden Apple. A SPONtaneous answer might put your US mother in the trashcan... There, that should do it. Feb 07 08, 9:16 PM

great2beme

Found it, Spondias Mombin. I got it. Golden Apple. Bangkok, Atalanta and Yeats http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spondias Feb 07 08, 9:36 PM

peasypod

Well done. And a Golden Banana to you, m'dear. A link to the mombin bit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spondias_mombin Feb 07 08, 9:52 PM