Showing posts with label Nicaragua. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nicaragua. Show all posts
Monday, December 23, 2013
The 12 Most Amazing Places I Have Been
The end of the year just seems to demand the making of lists! I present my 12 most amazing places that I have ever been in alphabetical order:
Alps in Winter (by train), Switzerland
Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Fundy Bay, New Brunswick, Canada
Greater Corn Island, Nicaragua
Jessamine Creek Gorge, Kentucky, Unites States (Yes, that's me on the rock!)
Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
Sugar Loaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa
Toroko Gorge, Taiwan, Republic of China
Tortugero National Park, Costa Rica
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Album Portraits
I happened upon this phenom this evening as I was waiting for my image conduit website (flickr.com) to return online after maintainance activities. It’s called “Album Portraits” Of the four presented here (Terence T. D’Arby, Madonna, Daddy Yankee, and Willie Nelson) the lamest one is mine! Yea, it’s “Daddy Yankee” placed over a favorite photo of me taken at a Baltimore Orioles baseball game back in 2005.
As to the choice of albums, Daddy Yankee was a natural. I really love reaggeton. And no artists of this genre are more famous, prolific, or talented than the Borico Boys known as “Daddy Yankee”. Furthermore, my recent trips to Nicaragua have not only introduced me to an amazing people and a beautiful nation, but also a nickname. I am “Daddy Yankee” to half-a-dozen beautiful young men in Managua.
It’s a playful and generous monocre from men whose inherent joy, courage, intelligence, and beauty I admire deeply.
As to the choice of albums, Daddy Yankee was a natural. I really love reaggeton. And no artists of this genre are more famous, prolific, or talented than the Borico Boys known as “Daddy Yankee”. Furthermore, my recent trips to Nicaragua have not only introduced me to an amazing people and a beautiful nation, but also a nickname. I am “Daddy Yankee” to half-a-dozen beautiful young men in Managua.
It’s a playful and generous monocre from men whose inherent joy, courage, intelligence, and beauty I admire deeply.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
We Could Learn A Thing Or Two From Our Supposed "Enemies"
In a time when the United States is in a record breaking decline in prestiege and good will among the nations of the world, Hugo Chávez's government in Venezuela sets but one example of how a benevolent people seek to foster goodwill among the nations. This from "Envío," a monthly periodical of Central American political news and analysis.
"MIRACLE MISSION"
The Government of Venezuela announced on March 10 that it is bringing its "Miracle Mission" to Nicaragua. Over the next ten years, this initiative will provide free operations in both Venezuela and Cuba for cases of reversible blindness, particularly as a result of cataracts. Nicaragua has an estimated 30,000 blind people, 18,000 of whom have a reversible condition. The Venezuelan program aims to treat between 100 and 200 cases a month, chosen by the Naitonal Ophthalmology Center and prioritizing those least able to pay. While the cost of cataract operations in a private Nicaraguan clinic ranges between $800 and $1,200, those selected for the "miracle" will pay nothing: not only will the operation and follow-up treatment be free, but so will the travel and lodging for the patient, and even a companion, if necessary.
The initiative.... Hugo Chávez's government hopes will create bonds among Latin American countries that extend beyond mere trade. The "Miracle Mission" is already operating in 11 countries. Its overall goal is to return their sight to six million people by 2016.
At the same time the United States sent former UN Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick to Nicaragua to pontificate on the up-coming presidential election, pointing Nicaraguans toward the candidate that favors US policies. A message of intimidation, not lost on the people of Nicaragua. This on the cusp of a very contentious legislative session in which every single law crafted by the Bush Administration to satisfy the requirements of CAFTA were passed by an ultimately limp rag congress. The results of which will only benefit the richest and most powerful agricultural interests in the country -- A country in which even the most specialized Doctor makes a mere $500 per month (one third of the salary that a comparably trained and experience physician could earn in Malawi, for instance!) And we wonder why they dislike our government......
"MIRACLE MISSION"
The Government of Venezuela announced on March 10 that it is bringing its "Miracle Mission" to Nicaragua. Over the next ten years, this initiative will provide free operations in both Venezuela and Cuba for cases of reversible blindness, particularly as a result of cataracts. Nicaragua has an estimated 30,000 blind people, 18,000 of whom have a reversible condition. The Venezuelan program aims to treat between 100 and 200 cases a month, chosen by the Naitonal Ophthalmology Center and prioritizing those least able to pay. While the cost of cataract operations in a private Nicaraguan clinic ranges between $800 and $1,200, those selected for the "miracle" will pay nothing: not only will the operation and follow-up treatment be free, but so will the travel and lodging for the patient, and even a companion, if necessary.
The initiative.... Hugo Chávez's government hopes will create bonds among Latin American countries that extend beyond mere trade. The "Miracle Mission" is already operating in 11 countries. Its overall goal is to return their sight to six million people by 2016.
At the same time the United States sent former UN Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick to Nicaragua to pontificate on the up-coming presidential election, pointing Nicaraguans toward the candidate that favors US policies. A message of intimidation, not lost on the people of Nicaragua. This on the cusp of a very contentious legislative session in which every single law crafted by the Bush Administration to satisfy the requirements of CAFTA were passed by an ultimately limp rag congress. The results of which will only benefit the richest and most powerful agricultural interests in the country -- A country in which even the most specialized Doctor makes a mere $500 per month (one third of the salary that a comparably trained and experience physician could earn in Malawi, for instance!) And we wonder why they dislike our government......
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Greater Corn Island Memoir #1
When I visit Nicaragua, I try to plan a side trip. Last year I went to San Juan del Sur on the Pacific Ocean and climbed Volcan Masaya. This year I went to Greater Corn Island in the Caribbean with my friends Guillermo and Jeffery. It's an amazingly beautiful place, and the following snapshots are taken from our stay there.
Greater Corn Island Memoir #2
This is the view of Caribbean from the portico of the Hotel Cesar on Greater Corn Island. The portico was also the Hotel's restaurant seating, so we started each day with this view.
Greater Corn Island Memoir #3
This is view of the beach on Greater Corn Island from the Hotel Cesar in the morning. Our pattern was to claim a palm frond roof cabana and then spend our time between swimming in the surf and relaxing under the cabana. Cabana time also meant consuming the most amazing cerviche I have ever eaten.
Greater Corn Island Memoire #4
While guests at the Hotel Cesar, we took full advantage of it's kitchen. I honestly ate fresh lobster for every meal. Here was a lunch of lobster brochette. The food was wonderful. Guillermo loved the seafood, too; and Jeffrey only ate chicken. Both nights and all meals and beach side apetizers and beers came to $261.00 for the three of us!
Greater Corn Island Memoir #5
On the last morning there, I awoke early and went beach combing. At some point much further down the beach, I turned and shot this photo of the fishing pier and peninsula. it was such a beautiful morning.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Nicaragua Memoir #4
Of all the wonderful people I have met in Nicaragua -- and believe me, there are tons of wonderful people in Nicaragua! -- Guillermo Bolaños is on the top of my list. Here he is with his beloved daughter, Rosa Guadeloupe. After taking the picture, I showed it to them via my camera's viewer, and she leaned forward gently touching the screen and declaring, "Papicito, Papicito!" Their love is a mutual affair.
Guillermo accompanied me last year on my visit's side journeys. We spent two days at the resort community of San Juan del Sur; we toured the archipelago of luxury homes on islands in Lake Nicaragua off of the shore of the colonial city of Granada, and we climbed to the rim of the active Volcano Masaya. This year he and I spent 3 days on Greater Corn Island (along with Jeffrey) in the Caribbean Sea. More on this to come.
Guillermo accompanied me last year on my visit's side journeys. We spent two days at the resort community of San Juan del Sur; we toured the archipelago of luxury homes on islands in Lake Nicaragua off of the shore of the colonial city of Granada, and we climbed to the rim of the active Volcano Masaya. This year he and I spent 3 days on Greater Corn Island (along with Jeffrey) in the Caribbean Sea. More on this to come.
Nicaragua Memoir #3
Here are (L-R) Jeffrey, Lucie, and Marco. Jeffrey is a teacher of English at Casa Ave Maria, and Lucie and Marco are two of his students.
During my recent visit they practically adopted me! Lucie offered her home on the Monday and Tuesday of my stay for lunch, which she prepared and was absolutely fabulous! Marco became our chauffeur, transporting us from CAM to Lucie's and other locations around Managua. I find that there are people with who I can hold a decent conversation in Spanish and those who utter baffle me. Marco was someone with who I was able to hold a conversation for an extended period. And totally typical of Nicaraguans, they were all generous and gracious beyond anything that I deserve.
During my recent visit they practically adopted me! Lucie offered her home on the Monday and Tuesday of my stay for lunch, which she prepared and was absolutely fabulous! Marco became our chauffeur, transporting us from CAM to Lucie's and other locations around Managua. I find that there are people with who I can hold a decent conversation in Spanish and those who utter baffle me. Marco was someone with who I was able to hold a conversation for an extended period. And totally typical of Nicaraguans, they were all generous and gracious beyond anything that I deserve.
Nicaragua Memoir #2
The place I stay in Nicaragua the Casa Ave Maria in the barrio Monseñor Lezcano. It's an amazing place. A place of respite. A place of art and ideas. A simple place by western standards, but a place where tender hearts will clearly be enchanted. It's proprietor is my friend, Father Grant Gallup, or familiarly (affectionately) known as Padre Mauricio.
Besides rooms to let for visitors or groups, the casa also offers classes in various topics from computers to English. On Sunday mornings the little chapel hosts Holy Eucharist. Carlos in the picture is one of the faithful instrumentalists who provide music. And in the afternoon on Sundays the only Gay and Lesbian gathering of Christians meet to worship in the same chapel. The Casa Ave Marie is a place of respite for all.
Besides rooms to let for visitors or groups, the casa also offers classes in various topics from computers to English. On Sunday mornings the little chapel hosts Holy Eucharist. Carlos in the picture is one of the faithful instrumentalists who provide music. And in the afternoon on Sundays the only Gay and Lesbian gathering of Christians meet to worship in the same chapel. The Casa Ave Marie is a place of respite for all.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Nicaragua Memoir #1
A joy to add this to my growing list of international memoirs: Costa Rica, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, etc. I have enjoyed the beautiful people and places of this amazing little country for the past two Christmas holidays. And I am in the process of imaging my future there. As a public school teacher in Maryland (the state with the 50th ranked retirement system) it's clear that the "good days" are the ones where I'm working! Once it's my turn to rest out the golden years, to do so here would be simply impossible. But doing it in a "third world country" would at least be plausible. And I can't think of a more placid and congenial place than Nicaragua. More to come soon.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
My Latest Poem
Yes, I write poetry....mostly bad poetry! But you be the judge. My latest composition.
PERFECTION
~ Great Corn Island, December 2005
There is this moment.
Three rusting fishing boats float silently
moored to a pier.
The first rays of dawn have yet to strike
this side of the island,
and when they do arrive,
the meager remnants of white paint
on the hulls
will animate the boats with a glow
like hybiscus blossoms.
In the present grayness, they sleep.
No thought for the journeys that await;
No concern for those past.
Only the moment:
the gentle, nearly imperceptible,
roll of the tide,
clear as crystal.
~ R--- W--- A---, 1961 -
0601.01
PERFECTION
~ Great Corn Island, December 2005
There is this moment.
Three rusting fishing boats float silently
moored to a pier.
The first rays of dawn have yet to strike
this side of the island,
and when they do arrive,
the meager remnants of white paint
on the hulls
will animate the boats with a glow
like hybiscus blossoms.
In the present grayness, they sleep.
No thought for the journeys that await;
No concern for those past.
Only the moment:
the gentle, nearly imperceptible,
roll of the tide,
clear as crystal.
~ R--- W--- A---, 1961 -
0601.01
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
My Nicaraguan Vacation
For the second year in a row, I have spent the Christmas holidays in Nicaragua...an amazing place. This photo is of Brigs Bay, Great Corn Island in the Caribbean. A remote piece of Nicaragua. More to come.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
In Praise of My Children and Other Stuff
Read that as "students" since I don't have any children of my own! Knowing that I was going to Nicaragua for Christmas, the kids chipped in together and got me $200.00 in American Express gift cards to use on my visit! And many got me other things besides....like $150.00 in Barnes & Noble gift cards (which I will use to buy books for the classroom.)
It is a tradition to buy teacher's gifts; and frankly, I don't NEED anything. But my kids are generous and just can't help themselves. Each will receive a post card from Managua; and I will try to find other items to use in the classroom while I'm there. But frankly, I might also pay for a fresh lobster dinner for myself at some point, too!
On another score, Delta has changed my flights and on the trip down made it IMPOSSIBLE to make my connection. Arriving into Atlanta at 9:33 AM and departing for Managua at 10:10 AM? Are they smoking crack? IF the plane arrived on time, sitting in seat 32D, I'd be lucky to emerge from the gangway by 9:45!--and Atlanta with it's four terminals accessible by light rail is no place to only have 25 minutes to navigate. Don't they have a computer program that can flag asinine combinations like this? They ought to! You know, back in the 80's, Delta was the premiere airline in America. What happened to them? And why is there no institutional memory there that holds those responsible for its downfall accountable? Why must bankruptcy be the answer?
So cutting to the chase, I was able to change my first flight, and I now have to be at the airport by 4:15 AM; which means leaving my home by 3:40 AM. How do YOU spell "saint"? I spell it L-A-U-R-A, as my most faithful friend Laura will do me the honors of taking me to Thurgood Marshall/BWI.
Again, I hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful HOLIDAY season! And that the war mongering Fascist-Christians who huff and puff about their victim status while bullying everyone else into kissing their (mostly) lily WHITE asses, stumble upon the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you! May it be so.
It is a tradition to buy teacher's gifts; and frankly, I don't NEED anything. But my kids are generous and just can't help themselves. Each will receive a post card from Managua; and I will try to find other items to use in the classroom while I'm there. But frankly, I might also pay for a fresh lobster dinner for myself at some point, too!
On another score, Delta has changed my flights and on the trip down made it IMPOSSIBLE to make my connection. Arriving into Atlanta at 9:33 AM and departing for Managua at 10:10 AM? Are they smoking crack? IF the plane arrived on time, sitting in seat 32D, I'd be lucky to emerge from the gangway by 9:45!--and Atlanta with it's four terminals accessible by light rail is no place to only have 25 minutes to navigate. Don't they have a computer program that can flag asinine combinations like this? They ought to! You know, back in the 80's, Delta was the premiere airline in America. What happened to them? And why is there no institutional memory there that holds those responsible for its downfall accountable? Why must bankruptcy be the answer?
So cutting to the chase, I was able to change my first flight, and I now have to be at the airport by 4:15 AM; which means leaving my home by 3:40 AM. How do YOU spell "saint"? I spell it L-A-U-R-A, as my most faithful friend Laura will do me the honors of taking me to Thurgood Marshall/BWI.
Again, I hope everyone who reads this has a wonderful HOLIDAY season! And that the war mongering Fascist-Christians who huff and puff about their victim status while bullying everyone else into kissing their (mostly) lily WHITE asses, stumble upon the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you! May it be so.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Christmas This Year
Will find me once again in the blessed company of Father G. at the wonderfully hospitable Casa Ave Maria in the bario of Monsenor Les Cano in Managua, Nicaragua. I've known Father G. for over a decade and last year was my first visit. And it was a wonderful visit that included time for side trips which I will go into in greater detail in future posts. Suffice it to say that Nicaragua is an amazing place....and as Christmas is an amazing season, the two fit well together.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
My Name Is -------. and I Am Addicted
To Poetry!
I read it voraciously, daily, widely. For many years now I have sent poems out on post cards from art museums to a wide range of friends and acquaintences, and even a relative stranger or two. I trace this habit back to my ex- Mr. J., and my profound desire to make real the call to commit "random acts of kindness" in this world. My ex- used to do this as well, and I don't know if he still does. I hope he does. I hope that reading this will inspire you to take up the practice, too.
Over this past Christmas I visited the ministry of a friend of mine. He has established a center of education and worship in the barrio of Monsenor Les Cano in Managua, Nicaragua. For years now I have sent him such poetry post cards. Imagine my delight at finding them lamenated and used as bookmarks in his library! My heart was deeply touched, and my passion encouraged greatly. I will tell you about and share some of my favorite poems/poets with you in the future. Just another strain in this ever expanding online journal.
But let me leave you with this poem by Keats. Feel free to copy it (it's in the public domain) and share it with those you love. It clearly speaks to a philosophy of life that I embrace.
LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY
The fountains mingle with the river,
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix forever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine? —
See the mountains kiss high Heaven
And the waves clasp one another,
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother,
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?
>~ Percy Bysshe Shelley, (1792-1822)
I read it voraciously, daily, widely. For many years now I have sent poems out on post cards from art museums to a wide range of friends and acquaintences, and even a relative stranger or two. I trace this habit back to my ex- Mr. J., and my profound desire to make real the call to commit "random acts of kindness" in this world. My ex- used to do this as well, and I don't know if he still does. I hope he does. I hope that reading this will inspire you to take up the practice, too.
Over this past Christmas I visited the ministry of a friend of mine. He has established a center of education and worship in the barrio of Monsenor Les Cano in Managua, Nicaragua. For years now I have sent him such poetry post cards. Imagine my delight at finding them lamenated and used as bookmarks in his library! My heart was deeply touched, and my passion encouraged greatly. I will tell you about and share some of my favorite poems/poets with you in the future. Just another strain in this ever expanding online journal.
But let me leave you with this poem by Keats. Feel free to copy it (it's in the public domain) and share it with those you love. It clearly speaks to a philosophy of life that I embrace.
LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY
The fountains mingle with the river,
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix forever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine? —
See the mountains kiss high Heaven
And the waves clasp one another,
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother,
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?
>~ Percy Bysshe Shelley, (1792-1822)
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