Costa Rica Adventure, Day Two–Part Two

January 6, 2016 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

The problem with tours is that they think you need to get your money’s worth and the best way to do that is to pack as much as possible into the shortest about of time possible. When some of us complained a bit after a couple of days, we were informed that we should not confuse vacations and tours. They are not the same thing. We were on a tour, not a vacation. Nevertheless, the tour did have some advantages like getting us into places we might have missed or never found on our own. However, that was not really the case for Day Two. That whirlwind morning in San Jose not only included the National Theatre and the Gold Museum, but also the Metropolitan Cathedral. It does not have lighting conducive to photography with a “normal” camera, cell phone, etc. Therefore, my attempts to photograph the endless and lovely stained glass windows proved futile. Here is what I was able to photograph.

This is a large church. Yes, we were there as tourists, but many others were there praying, sitting silently, worshipping.

I could not find a place where the chandelier did not interfere with the view where I could take a really good photograph. Nevertheless, hopefully those of you who read this can get the feeling for this really wonderful place.

On a totally separate but perhaps related note, I watched Public Television for a while tonight about finding ones roots. I keep thinking somehow my DNA results must be a bit screwy because the places where I feel most at home, the cultures in which I have an interest, the literature I love to read, and the music to which I usually listen have no relationship whatsoever with the places from which the majority of ancestors came. I have been to Costa Rica twice now and to one particular town (besides San Jose) twice–others were new this trip. What concerns me is that all the tourists and people buying up property there who are from Europe, the US, and Canada will totally ruin its values and beauty.

Costa Rican Adventure, Day Two–Part One

January 4, 2016 / Juliana Lightle / 1 Comment

After a buffet breakfast of traditional foods, e.g. gallo pinto and plantanos fritos–my favorites, we headed to the central part of San Jose which is only foot traffic, no vehicles.

We strolled to El Mercado where my grandson bought a stuffed sloth–I love bargaining so we got it for a good price. My only disappointment was the rush so we could see everything–the disadvantage of being on a tour. Eventually, we ended up at the National Theatre.

Located in the central section of San Jose, it is considered the finest historical building in the capital and remains relatively unchanged since it was built in 1897–it opened on Oct. 21 of that year. Most of its opulent furnishing were imported from Europe. At the time of its opening fewer than 20,000 people inhabited San Jose. It was financed via a coffee tax which was then and still is the major export and cash crop.

This theatre remains in use today and houses a small, cosy restaurant next to the main lobby. We ate our first Tico lunch there.

This and the following photos were taken in the lobby of this theatre.

I took this and the following photo while seated in the main seating area looking up to the ornate ceiling. Originally, the theatre was designed for multipurpose use so the main floor has seating than can be removed and the floor risen to the level of the stage and consequently transformed into a dance floor. Rarely is this aspect used today.

We left this area and climbed the stairs to the balcony where the president and cabinet still sit for performances. Neither the president nor any of the cabinet have body guards. We were reminded that in 1948, the country disbanded its army and still has no military. The following two photos were taken from the stairwell.

This area is a large reception room across from the balcony level. The incredibly intricate parquet floor has been covered by carpet for protection so you can see only portions of it as you walk around.

We also visited what is know as the Gold Museum, my favorite. It houses a huge collection of pre-Columbian gold artifacts and other antiquities. No cameras, purses, backpacks, iPads, nothing can be taken in so no photos. It is literally underground. Visitors are directed to lockers in which to put all these belongings, lock them, take the key with you as you browse the incredible collection. There is an excellent gift shop where you can purchase copies of these artifacts, painted wood jaguar heads, and other handcrafts. This is not our typical, touristy gift job. As a result I now own four jaguars, three heads (two from Mexico and the one I bought here) and an entire jaguar from Mexico for a total of four.

In the Beginning by Natalie Weaver

January 2, 2016 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

I am not a very religious person. It never occurred that anyone would be compelled to write his or her own creation myth. Therefore, this intrigues me greatly and I am seriously considering trying to do this myself. However, it will be difficult for me to do this without seriously considering all the science I know which is counter to the word “myth”. Would like to hear what others think about creation myths.

Feminism and Religion

Dear Friends,

Every year on New Year’s Eve, I read creation stories to my family. We light candles, sit in a circle, eat, drink, and read. This little ritual began as my protest to the vulgar commercialization of the New Year and the ponderous weight of trying to be/do/achieve something new every twelve months. Last year, I discovered, however that I felt like the ancient creation myths and the new ways of bringing in the new year messaged similar things. I wrote about it in my blog post from January 2015, committing to write my own creation myth to read this year. I like where it is going… even this little exercise is causing me to think differently about sacred literature. I am becoming Inspired, I gasp to myself, to write my own Scripture, my own sacred truth. Here’s what I’ve got so far. I hope you enjoy it. Happy New Year!

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Costa Rican Adventure-Day One

January 1, 2016 / Juliana Lightle / 1 Comment

Instead of staying in the US for Christmas, my daughter, grandson, and I went to Costa Rica on a National Geographic Family Adventure for seven days and then rented a car and explored on our own for three additional days. We arrived in San Jose a little after three in the afternoon, met the other tour members and our two guides, Jose and Josie, and headed for our first hotel, the Intercontinental.

Because the capital, San Jose, is at an altitude between 6 and 7 thousand feet, it is cool. On the day of our arrival it was also very windy which made the air seem quite chilly. Altitude and whether you are on the Pacific or Caribbean side are everything in Costa Rica. High elevations are quite cool, lower elevations tropical and hot. The Pacific side is drier, especially in the north. The Caribbean is always wet and rainy especially in the north so the two sides are just the opposite weather wise. Down the middle runs the cordillera, the mountains, which determine many aspects of the weather.

On the road to San Jose from the airport. I know it says San Jose when you make reservations but the airport is not actually in San Jose or even in the same province.

The last time I was in Costa Rica it was summer here and the rainy season there–winter. In much of the country even though it supposedly was the dry season, it did not seem very dry. Look at those clouds.

At the Intercontinental, a large, rather elegant hotel with multiple restaurants and shops, my grandson wanted to buy a plushy sloth in one of the shops. We convinced him to wait. The next day we found it nearly 50% less in a shop at El Mercado.

The food we had at the hotel, however, was excellent, the ceviche especially tasty.

I was quite entranced by this bench, carved out of old wood. It is illegal in Costa Rica to harvest certain woods considered rare and/or endangered. This includes rosewood and mahogany. If you find pieces made from these rarer woods, it is old wood from dead trees or at least that is what it is supposed to be. You can find beautifully made wood furniture in various parts of the country.

We spent only one night and the next morning through lunch in San Jose.

Ethiopian Wolves

December 18, 2015 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

When I went to Ethiopia a year and a half ago, I missed seeing these incredibly endangered animals. Less than 500 remain in and around Bale Mountains National Park. Unlike other wolves, they do not hunt in packs, perhaps because they do not bring down big game, but rather eat the large, big-headed mole rat. The wolves use their extremely long noses to get the rats out of their burrows. Another hunting tactic includes hiding among the herds of gelada baboons, the only remaining grass eating primate in the world. These baboons, like the wolves, live only in Ethiopia. The wolves and the baboons live peacefully together while the wolves hide among the grazing baboons, sneaking upon the unsuspecting rats darting from burrow to burrow. Although the baby gelada are not much bigger than the rats, the wolves refrain from eating them. Like the situation with many other wild animals, human activity ruins their habitat through subsistence farming and cattle grazing. Rabies, caught from domestic dogs, further decimates the population. For more information on these rare wolves and conservation efforts, go to:

http://www.ethiopianwolf.org

gelada baboons–I took this photo summer of 2014

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Image from ethiopianwolf.org.

Painting Marys, Welcoming Refugees by Angela Yarber

December 14, 2015December 14, 2015 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

Last week I read the article in “National Geographic” about Mary, this shows up today in my email, saw “Amahl and the Night Visitors” a week ago, and Christmas comes soon. The Mary article was inspiring because it shows several places in the world where Christians and Muslims pray together to honor Mary. We need so much peace and goodwill now!!!

Feminism and Religion

angela This holiday season, in the midst of our ever-repeating mass shootings and debates about the welcoming of Syrian refugees, I have seen a meme, a pithy quote, a bumper sticker time and time again amidst my fellow liberals:

“If only we had a seasonally appropriate story about Middle Eastern people seeking refuge being turned away by the heartless.”

Similarly, many have posted pictures of nativity scenes with a tongue-in-cheek quip, “I’m so glad people are placing these lawn ornaments in their yards to indicate that they welcome refugees into their homes.”

Myriad articles have been published encouraging Christians to remember our calling to welcome the refugee, and as an ordained clergywoman, I affirm these thoughts. I believe it is our responsibility, as Christians and particularly as feminist Christians, to welcome the marginalized, the oppressed, the refugee. I am also a strong believer in the separation of church and state, a…

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My 27-Book Haul from @AkeFestival #AkeFest15

November 25, 2015November 25, 2015 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

This perfectly fits my goal to expand awareness of literature from non-western cultures. Reading remains one of the best ways to expand intercultural awareness especially if you cannot travel there.

Kinna Reads

I didn’t do badly this first time at Aké; I come home with 27 books!

Books I Bought:

Ake Books I bought

The Birth of Illus by Jumoke Verissimo. This is Jumoke’s second collection of poetry. I’m a fan of her work.
Bound to Secrecy by Vamba Sherif. A detective novel set in Liberia. A new-to-me writer.
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor. The first of Okorafor’s books that I own. It’s been a long time coming.
Minaret by Leila Aboulela. She has a new book, The Kindness of Enemies, out. I’m trying to catch up.
Blackass by A. Igoni Barrett. I”m behind on my reviews but I loved Igoni’s Love is Power or Something Like That. This is his newest book.
A Killing in the Sun by Dilman Dila. Speculative fiction. I first came across his work in Jalada’s Afrofutures issue.

(In a special category) The Etisalat Prize Longlisted Books

Etisalat Prize-longlisted books

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Sunday

November 23, 2015 / Juliana Lightle / 1 Comment

“Do not go where the path may lead,

go instead where there is no path and

leave a trail.”

Relaxing Into an All-Encompassing World by Oxana Poberejnaia

November 21, 2015November 21, 2015 / Juliana Lightle / Leave a comment

I found the part about the history and current culture of the women of Ukraine and big surprise. Who knew.

Feminism and Religion

oxana I believe that as feminists what we are striving towards is not just equality between women and men, although this aspect is crucial. Feminism has contributed to developing of such disciplines and practices as deconstruction, environmentalism, LGBT rights, and animal rights.

Feminism walks in step with all the movements for more justice and freedom in the same way as patriarchy goes along with capitalism, exploitation and environmental degradation.

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