Category: Foreign Lands

Historic Churches of Santiago Chile

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It’s summer here in the Southern Equator but one of the coolest places in the county is Santiago’s historic churches. While not as old as those found in Europe, nevertheless, their history and designs often mimic those found from Latin America’s conquering nations.

IGLESIA DE SAN FRANCISCO

With its red exterior and unusual bell tower, Iglesia De San Francisco looks newer than other churches in the area, but don’t be fooled, as this one of the oldest buildings in the country. What is even more amazing is that it has withstood over 15 earthquakes with a shake value of over 7.0 each time the earth moved.

According to church history, five Franciscans arrived from Peru in 1553 but it was not until 1572 that construction began on the church. Consecrated in 1597 the building was completed in 1618. It lost its bell tower in 1647 and 1730 due to quakes. The current one was constructed in the middle of the 1800’s.

Ceiling

The ceiling of this magnificent building was constructed using a coffered Mudejar style beginning in 1615. You will definitely get a kink in your neck as you look upward.

Inner Courtyard
Organ

Iglesia De la Vera Cruz

Located in Barrio Lastarria, work on this church began in 1852 and was completed in 1857. The church was suppose to have been built on the site where conquistador Pedro de Valdivia had lived in order to honor his memory but it appears that this location is most likely a myth. This building is a very weird, almost spooky place visit as the inside was burnt out in November 2019 during local riots.

Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral

Located in the Plaza de Armas of Santiago the Cathedral is the home of the Archdiocese and the Archbishop of Santiago. This imposing building was built between 1748 – 1906; its present incarnation being the fifth church to have been built on the site… previous ones being lost to earthquakes and a fire. The Cathedral is dedicated to Assumption of the Virgin Mary and is the main church of the city.

Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral

One interesting aspect to the Cathedral is Archiepiscopal crypt which was remodeled recently adding light and depth to the place where most of the Archbishops of Santiago are buried.

Templo De San Augstin– Our Lady of Grace

Built in 1625 this beautiful church was the favorite of those that I visited. There is a beautiful wooden carving of Jesus that holds special significance to the area. Until the earthquake of 1647 Jesus wore a crown of thorns upon his head. During the quake it is said that the crown of thorns fell from the head of Jesus and slipped around his neck. When someone tried to put the crown back upon his head it is said that the statue’s face began to bleed and the ground began shaking violently. For this reason the crown remains around the neck of the beloved.

Iglesia San Agustin-Santiago

But the thing that I loved most about the church was its congregants devotion to Saint Rita of Cascia whose face graces parts of the ceiling and a wall of the church. Rita was born in the late 1300’s in Italy. She was married young to a man who was known to be a rich adulterer with a sharp tongue and quick temper. Rita endured his physical and mental abuse for the 18 years that they were married while with gentleness and humility taught her husband to be a better man. After her husband died (he was murdered as a result of a long-time feud) she joined a sisterhood of nuns who later became the Augustinains. She was known for her belief in and participation of mortification of the flesh.

Rita of Cascia

Rita is known as the saint of impossible causes. In addition, she is the patron saint of the sick, loneliness, sterility, abuse victims, couple and marriage difficulties, widows, parenthood, bodily ills, and wounds. It was wonderful to see a woman glorified in a religion that often saves glorification and adoration for men. Yeah Rita!

Panama Rainforest Discovery Center

Posted in Animals and Birds, Canals, Day Trips, Great Fun For The Kids, Hiking, Incredible Vistas, Panama, Travel, Visitor Centers, ZoosTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Yesterday I went on a group adventure to the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center which is located approximately 45 minutes outside Panama City near Gamboa. Built as an educational center, it allows people to experience jungle life with the numerous birds, insects and animals who survive and thrive within its boundaries.

Within minutes of our arrival we heard the howler monkeys (monos aulladores) voices echoing from the treetops. It is hard to believe that an animal of such a small stature can make such a big noise! Later on one of the many hiking trails, we spied them sleeping as a group in the trees.

Howler Monkeys

The Panama Rainforest Discovery Center is known as one of the premier bird watching locations in the world. In fact, in 1985 the Audubon Society held a bird count and an amazing 385 different species of were spotted…a new record for the greatest variety of birds seen within a 24 hour period. Birdwatchers advise getting to the center at opening time (6 am) to get the most out of your birdwatching experience.

One of the educational offerings is the hummingbird observation area at which you can see numerous different types of hummingbirds. Unfortunately, when we were there we only saw a few which I believe was a result of the size of our group and the time of day. Because my photos did not turn out very good so I am posting a picture that is found at the center which shows the types of hummingbirds that you can observe in the area.

The Discovery Center has numerous groomed hiking trails throughout its boarders and they range from easy to slightly more difficult. As you hike along you will hear bird songs which range from soft and sweet to slightly jarring. There is nothing like a good bird song to delight the ears! Click the picture below to hear one very happy bird.

Click to hear the birds

Another interesting feature of the park is the Observation Tower which takes you high above the jungle canopy. There are numerous steps to the top but it is a relatively easy climb and you are well rewarded by the incredible vistas. There is a slight sway to the tower but don’t worry it is a completely normal.

View from the top

There is also a small lake named Largo Calamita with benches to sit and enjoy local waterfowl such as jacanas and egrets. Park rangers say you might even spy a crocodile or two.

Lake Calamito
Termite Nest

If you are a tourist there is a rather hefty entrance fee to get into the park but between the possible encounters with monkeys, birds, sloths and anteaters I think it is worth it. In addition, to get to the Discovery Center you have to pass on the other side of the Panama Canal which gives you an up close view of the boats passing through. That alone is worth it in my opinion.

For now, I leave you with more photos of the day which I hope leaves you wanting to visit the incredible nation of Panama and its many forms of diversity.

Cuernavaca, Mexico

Posted in Archaeological Treasures, Architecture, Art, Cities, Day Trips, Festivals, Good Food, Historical, Incredible Vistas, Mexico, Mountains, Museums, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

One of my favorite adventures in Mexico was our visit to Cuernavaca. While I loved the one-hour drive through the mountains from Mexico City, parts of which reminded me of Colorado or Flagstaff; I did not enjoy my first experience driving in Mexico City. On the one hand, you have to be Mario Andretti and push the peddle to the metal to squeeze into spaces the size of a dime in front of the one hundred cars whose drivers have the same idea as you, but on the other hand, you have to have the patience of a saint to know when to be cautious as you fight twenty-three million city dwellers for your right to be on the road when no one follows what should be common sense traffic rules. Seriously, it’s like being in intense labor ready to deliver while driving…everything is just coming at you at once! But enough of that…let’s head to Cuernavaca.

Cuernavaca is the capital of the state of Morelos. What brought us to this place was the Palace of Cortez but what we found was so much more than we ever imagined. Built somewhere between 1523-1528 by the conqueror Hernan Cortez, the palace is the oldest conserved colonial era civil complex within the Americas. And while all that information is interesting what really brought Michael and I here were the Diego Rivera murals that decorate the upstairs floors. Little did we know there was a museum connected to the property which housed more than just the magnificent wall art.

With an entrance fee of about $5 USD it is certainly a bargain in this day of $10-20 fees in the USA. The first floor contains artifacts from the ancient civilizations that flourished in this land. It’s a nice collection for a museum of this size.

But what we had really come to see involved climbing quite a few steps to the balcony level which includes a magnificent view of the city and the countryside which surrounds it. That alone was almost worth the climb.

But the piece de resistance were the murals and when we turned the corner our breaths were literally taken away and not just from the stair climb! Commissioned by the US Ambassador to Mexico, Dwight Murrow, Rivera himself chose the subject. of the murals…the history of the invasion of Mexico by the Spanish…and he holds nothing back. They are truly spectacular!

If you are a Diego Rivera fan this is one place you need to check out!

From the Palace of Cortez we walked down the cobble streets, ducking into an alley and surprised ourselves by finding an incredible taco place. I wish I could remember the name but here is the view from the upstairs of the eatery.

From there we meandered the streets arriving at the Catedral de Cuernavaca also known as the Templo de la Asuncion de Maria. Work was started by the Franciscans using indigenous forced labor in 1526 and the religious complex also houses the Templo de la Tercera Orden de San Francisco (pink) and the Capilla del Carmen (yellow) . At the left side of the Catedral is the Museo de Arte Sacro which showcases close to 100 paintings, sculptures, and religious artifacts from the 16th to 20th centuries.

From here we wandered further… passing the theatre and library until we arrived at a food festival in the middle of the historic square. It was fantastic and we enjoyed seeing various regional foods from all over the country. Unfortunately, due to time constraints we missed the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Archaeological Zone of Xochicalco

Being drawn further in by all the spices and herbs wafting as we passed by booth after booth was the perfect way to end our day in Cuernavaca. I hope someday you will get to walk the streets of this enchanting city yourself to experience small city charm in a very big way.

The Embera’ of Panamá

Posted in Art, Day Trips, First Nations, fishing, Food, Hiking, Mountains, Panama, Travel, VideoTagged , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Today I visited the indigenous people known as the Embera, who have lived within the forest of Eastern Panama for thousands of years. Surviving primarily through fishing and growing various crops; the Embera’ now earn a living by educating tourists as to their way of life over many millennia.

Arriving at the river we were greeted by men in traditional clothing and ushered into dugout canoes for our journey up the waterways.

Our adventure really began as we ventured onto the river’s tributaries spying huge neon blue butterflies drifting along the banks, blue herons standing on their tall skinny legs around the waters edge, and small waterfalls sliding down the hills. Finally, we arrived at the biggest waterfall in the area where we had to clamber along slippery rocks in order to enjoy its fine mist and thundering show. The sacredness of this beautiful place was not lost on anybody.

After experiencing the earth’s natural tranquilities we headed to the Embera’ village where we listened to an educational program about the tribe, learned about how baskets and made through naturally dyed chunga palm fibers and heard the story of how tribal justice is delivered using interlocking foot boards, honey, and any insects that decide to make their way to the disgraced person via that sweet honey treat.

The Embera’ are also known for their use of kipara which decorates their bodies and unlike a permanent tattoo only lasts for several weeks. The color is derived from the Jangua fruit and the art of kipara has been shown to repel mosquitoes as well as other kinds of insects.

After the program we feasted on a lunch of taro, fresh-caught fish, and various fruits. It was delicious!

One of the things I enjoyed the most was a little girl who climbed down the steps of her home and hightailed it under the house in order to hide from her mother. She looked at me and put her finger to her lips to let me know in no uncertain terms that I was not to inform her mother as to her whereabouts as she scampered away!

After lunch we were entertained by the traditional dances of the Embera’ people and asked to participate after a demonstration. Let’s just say my partner was lucky that I only stepped on his barefoot toes once with my two left feet!

All too soon it was time to head back to “civilization” after shopping for traditional artwork made by the villagers. All in all a great and well orchestrated experience which was fun and educational too.

My new basket! Isn’t it amazing!

My Best Meals In Mexico City Thus Far

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I have to say I have been so lucky to have consumed many extraordinary meals while in Mexico City. It’s strange that while Paris and New York are talked about as being some of the places to experience the best cuisine on the planet; Mexico is all but forgotten but it should not be. It has some of the most inventive and eye-popping food anywhere. Here are a few of my favorites:

Morimoto. Located in the Camino Real Hotel, Morimoto is also known to Philidelphians and New Yorkers for its inventive but classic Asian fare. Yesterday, I had the Pork Belly Buns and I actually ordered a second helping…I haven’t done that in 30 years. The flavors were so complex and melt in your mouth good. Makes you never want to brush your teeth again so that the flavors can linger the rest of your life. We also had excellent sushi and a calamari salad that was amazing.

Another memorable lunch was had at the Cafe in the Museo de Archeaology. While not the best food I have ever eating it was interesting and tasty. The Sea Bass was VERY spicy and I loved the traditional corn served with lime, chile, mayonaise and cheese. Here is one page of the menu along with pics of our lunch.

One of the wonderful laid-back dinners I will always remember was served up at Xi-lo-tl in the neighborhood of Cuauhtemoc. This tiny hole in the wall restaurant set in a lovely neighborhood of art deco buildings; serves tacos in ways that can only be created by someone with an amazing imagination. Loved the spice and the inventiveness of this place.

Another excellent restaurant is in Centro near The Palacio Nacional. The architecture at El Cardenal is beautiful with stain glass windows and a beautiful old piano whose music accompanies your memorable meal. I had the BEST EVER ( I MEAN EVER) corn that has ever been served on the planet while Michael had beef tongue which he enjoyed. Look at some of the interesting items of this menu.

But by far one of my favorite meals was at Galea in the Roma Norte district. What drew us to this place was an afternoon walk where we glanced into a doorway and just happened to see a man making homemade pasta. He told us we must come and experience the food…and so we did. It was one of the best meals we ever ate and is Michelin mentioned. They had a lovely three course menu to choose from and we were thrilled with the options. Michael had the Rotolo (Tuscan rabbit ragu in pasta) while I had gluten free pasta Garganelli whose falvors of mushroom ragu, cashews and ricotta made my mouth explode with rich creamy flavors. The sweet potato mille-feuille first course was just as amazing. And dessert….well, it took my breath away.

A wonderful little breakfast/lunch cafe is called Miga Cafe which is located in the area of Cuauhtemoc. The coffee here is amazing and breakfast tastes lush and filling. Just look at that French Toast! Prices are more than reasonable and if you have never had lavender cream you must try it!

Another favorite breakfast place (that also serves lunch and dinner was Ava Maria in Jardin Centenario near the Kahlo Museum. The service was impecable, ambiance delightful, and the fresh fruits that are brought to your table for you to choose were fresh and flavorful. The enchiladas suizas with mozzarella sauce was delicious and a great way to start off a day full of site-seeing.

But I will confess if you want a really filling carnita for about $1.50 you can’t beat Carnitas El Guero in the very traditional Mexican old town of Interlomas. With pork chopped up and handed to you within 2 minutes off the grill it is a great place for cheap eats.

So here are a few of my favorite places in Mexico City. I plan on returning soon to try so many of the excellent eateries that the city should be extremely proud of.

Museo de Arte Moderno-Mexico City

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Mexico City has some of the best collection of museums in the world and the Museo de Arte Moderno certainly didn’t dissappoint. It was established in 1964 designed by architests Vazquez, Alcerreca and Salcido. With a focus on Mexican art ,permanent exhibition artists include Kahlo, Jair, Montenegro, Rivera, Loza; just to name a few and features works from 1930 until the present day. With basically four wings and an incredibly beautiful outdoor sculpture garden you will want to give yourself plenty of time to experience the flow between outdoor and in that the building encourages.

The day we got there they were installing a new sculpture and it was amazing to watch the process

As you enter the Museum you are met with gathering areas on both the first and second floors. They are beautifully designed and meant to allow to to view glimpses of all areas of the interior and grounds.

Here are a few of the more famous paintings on display and/or some of my favorites.

Olga Costa
Diego Rivera, Alfredo Zalce
Frida Kahle
Roberto Montenegro
Fermin Revueltas

The gardens and sulptures just can’t be missed and there is a small outdoor cafe at which you can sip your coffee and view the magnificence all around you.

Just a few more pics but I guarantee you that there is so much more to see. As a person who has never been much impressed with “modern art” I can say that I have changed my perception of the genre. It has elements that I can readily identify with as a woman born in the 1960’s and allows for a glance at past history that will hopefully influence the future.

Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10a.-6pm. The cost about 70 pecos with no fees for the disabled and young children. Afterwards, walk throughout the large city park to which many of the museums are connected.

Panama City, Panama

Posted in Architecture, Cities, Good Food, Historical, Incredible Vistas, Panama, PlazasTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Casco Viejo (or Old Town) is an amazingly beautiful part of Panama City. French and Spanish Colonial architecture combine to create a section of the city that is living its best life. Once known as Panama Viejo, the waterside port was established in 1519 but was destroyed in 1671 by the pirate Henry Morgan. Today is area is being revitalized and features old churches, great restaurants, and small shops. Best of all the ocean water belts cool breezes which flow like a gentle mists throughout the ancient streets. Frankly, the town reminds me a little of New Orleans with a lot more punch.

One of the things I loved about Old Town was the alleyways with hats, or flags, or copies of ancient embroidery hanging from upper window to upper window on both sides of the street. This part of Panama City always has something to be enchanted by and it makes your heart skip a beat when you turn a corner and find something unexpected and charming.

Since I am still having computer issues I am doing a computer dump of some of my pictures so you can get your own idea of the city. Enjoy!

Flags hanging cross the street
Catedral Metropolitana
Catedral Metropolitana
Street of Native Flags
Indigenous Women Selling Their Crafts
Street of Hats
Old Time Cigar Shop

San Juan Del Sur – Nicaragua

Posted in Art, Beaches, Day Trips, Incredible Vistas, Magical Places, Markets, Nicaragua, TravelTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Going to Nicaragua is a different experience. We had to leave the truck behind, pay exit fees at the Costa Rican border, walk a distance in the ” NO MAN’S LAND” which lies between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, pay $1 outside of the Nicaragua customs building, stand in line for about 20 minutes to get to see a customs official, pay another $13 (I think), have our luggage scanned and then exit the building walk about 300 meters to the Alamo Car Rental.

Driving is easy as they drive on the same side of the road as in the USA but what struck me first were two things: beautiful trees on both sides of the road created a beautiful green canopy as we drove. It was gorgeous and reminded me of the East Coast. The second thing that I found interesting is as we traveled down the main highway (NO POTHOLES!!! unlike Costa Rica) there were cows and horses tied up to the fences all a long the road. It was amazing.

It is only about a 45 minute drive from the border to San Juan Del Sur. It is an old beach town that is slowly getting discovered by tourists but retains its gritty but sweet character from years gone by. We were located at the bay but there are beautiful beaches all around the area. We arrived just as the sun was setting and what a gorgeous sunset it was. This is a real fishing town so watching the boats head out to sea and return with family waiting for them is a reminder of that “waiting history” that fishing hubs around the world have experienced for eons.

Night time is interesting here as there are beach volleyball games with families watching the kids do their thing. Horses meander along side the water and parrots squawk in the trees. The town basically rolls up the sidewalk at 8 pm as families walking hand-in-hand head back to home.

The next couple of days were a blur. We walked the town peeking in shops and enjoying the street markets. Grills were set up on the street where you could buy pollo and rice for about $2-3 bucks. I loved watching the women and men carrying their wares on their heads, the buzz of the street market, and the kindness of the people we talked to along the way. Everyone was friendly and put up with my attempts at speaking Spanish, often teaching me a word or two along the way.

We also visited the local park and church which is incredibly beautiful in its simplicity. In addition, you can’t help but view The Christ of the Mercy which is a colossal statue of Jesus Christ which rises to a height of 134m above sea level and can be seen throughout the town.

While here we took time to look at real estate that is for sale in the area. Take a look at this three-bedroom beauty which was selling for $459,000 with pristine teak woodwork and views that were amazing. One of my favorite was a small villa in a gated pool community which was selling for $140,000 with HOA’s of $400 per month

If you know me; you know I love a good mural. From the out-of-this world type of paintings to the murals that can bring tears to your eyes; San Juan del Sur has plenty of talented artists offering up their best.

I loved San Juan Del Sur and who knows I might end up there one day. But for now I leave you with the local high school band practicing on the Main Street of the town.

My Morning (Mostly)

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Last night we had a major thunderstorm, which was so cool, but also very loud, as the thunder echoes back-and-forth from one mountain to another. You can almost see the lightning roll back-and-forth between mountains and every once in a while, the house shakes down to its very bones as the thunder spanks the ground. We lost power and we lost water due to errant rock splicing through the plastic pipe. By eight this morning two men on motorcycles carrying new pipe, glue, and a shovel were standing alongside the road making the necessary repairs.

I start my walk around 6 am because the sun is usually shining brightly in the sky, and the temperature is increasing exponentially as each ray of sun peaks out from under the clouds. As I walk, I am greeted by children on motorcycles with their parents traveling to the school. I must say buenos dias 15 to 20 times a morning as everyone smiles and waves as I walk by. Yes, it’s official. I am a gringo, as explained to me by a friend but luckily a gringo that everyone wants to help improve her in Spanish, so everyone talks to me, and I fumble along, trying to make sense with a language that I’ve never spoken before. The people are gracious about my feeble attempts, but they appreciate that I try.

Below we will find pictures of my walk. I hope you get a sense of the beauty that I see every day. 

Cool Morning Fog
Last Night’s Thunderstorm

A Painfully Noisy Day

Posted in Animals and Birds, Costa Rica, Festivals, Markets, Mountains, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Before you set off on a trip, you tend to believe that your time away will be nothing but glorious. Today was not that day.

It started with my computer that decided it did not want to wake up when I did. As a matter of fact, it hasn’t woken up all day. This is obviously a very bad sign, especially when you are living in the middle of rural Costa Rica and there’s nowhere that can fix it . Therefore, I’m attempting to write this blog by speaking into a microphone. We shall see how it goes, but I would expect a lot of typos that I’m probably too lazy to fix.

After I discovered the bad news about my computer, I decided to take a walk. It was a lovely morning … cloudy with mist hanging over the mountains and not yet hot. I had one cup of coffee in and enough caffeine to probably get me to the next village when I heard this.:

After that excitement, I drove to Nicoya where I was delighted to find a new store with all sorts of gluten-free items. Of course, it was expensive but great to find as I started home. A huge thunderstorm arrived. The thunderstorms are very loud because they echo across the valley. It’s kind of cool and I like them. However, I lost my GPS and therefore my way home. I ended up only God knows where in the back country, even further back than I currently am, trying to find my way out. Eventually, I made it home, unlocked the gate in the pouring rain, looked up, to see what all the racket was. It was these beautiful parrots. Take a listen and a look: (For some reason you have to press the triangles even though there is no movie… then it shows up)


Parrots

All is well until right after I finish filming this when I slipped on a wet rock and landed on my shoulder, you know the one with the torn rotator cuff. At first, I thought I broke my wrist, but I didn’t. Thank goodness, but I did screw up the shoulder again. I’d like to say the video of the parrots was worth it… We shall see about that!

Today is the festival so I will be going to the school at 4 PM to help celebrate. I was invited and I think it has something to do with beans. It is also Costa Rica’s Independence Day so I guess I will find out how beans tie into that But I’m excited and honored that I was asked to come. I’ll let you know how it goes.