Skip to main content

San Jose

Today we spend time in San Jose, the capitol of Costa Rica. We saw a noontime show at the national theater. Each day, the theater has a midday performance and several of the local workers stop for their lunch hour to sit and enjoy the theater's delights. Today, we were serenaded by a Glenn Miller style Jazz band. Moonlight Serenade and Chattanooga Choo Choo had me swaying and tapping my feet. Inside the theater, extravagant design and Italian paintings grace the walls. The designers hired an Italian painter to create the theater's appeal. While the painter worked with quality, he never actually visited Costa Rica. As a result, his images are purely drawn from imagination, and the painting has a few unrealistic elements. For example, the coffee plantation is depicted near the sea. However, coffee plants operate in the mountains. One painting shows a man holding a giant bunch of bananas to his chest. In reality, bananas are hooked onto a pole and carried on the back by holding the pole. The building is considered one of Costa Rica's finest buildings, rich with a history which drew people to see the Italian art, although a bit mistaken, proudly standing today, continuing to draw locals each day for a midday show.

Inside the museum, I learned a tid bit about the history of Costa Rica's peace. On December 1st, 1948 Jose Figueres broke down an almena from the building, symbolizing the abolition of the army and the decision to transfer the building, previously used for army barracks, to the National Museum, which currently stands. The abolition was made effective a year later and the funds which went to military efforts were transferred to education. The decision to eliminate the army resulted in a country known for its peace. The pictures highlight Figueres' action and a group of the children who would grow up calling the country of peace their home.

Also within the museum were giant stone spheres. These massive globes are blotted throughout the campus and constitute one of the outstanding objects among the goods made by the indigenous societies in pre-Colombian Costa Rica. Archaeologists associate their function to elite power symbols, used as territorial markings for villages. The entrance to the museum has one such stone surrounded by a futuristic, glass globe of protection.

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."
2 Thessalonians 3:16
All my love,
Gennavieve

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hampton Court Palace

Today, I toured Hampton Court Palace, an official historic, royal palace. Following are some of the sights I saw, history I learned, and favorites I enjoyed. The guard chamber of King William III. The magnificent display of 2,871 items of armor and weapons displayed a message that William was a great soldier and peacemaker. William's Presence chamber. Only high-ranking individuals were permitted into this room. William would be distinguished by sitting on a Chair of Estate. Those who entered his presence were required to remove their hats and make three low bows to the King, or even his empty chair. I'm grateful to serve an accessible King, who is with me wherever I go. William's eating room. He was expected to dine here on occasions "in front of persons of good fashion and good appearance," in order to display the sumptuousness of his food and to reassure everyone he was in good health. He was served by three servants on bended knee. William's P
Post a Comment
Read more

Oopsy Daisy

Today I learned a cultural lesson through my daisy chain making. I was just being typical Gennavieve, frolicking in the fields between the rose geranium and picking daisies. I decided to make a chain and, before long, I had quickly assembled a round daisy necklace. I held it for a bit and then one of the workers, Mikeal, came up to our group and I decided to give it to him, so I put the flower garland around his head and it plopped on his neck. Little did I know that my actions meant much more than I had intended. Mikeal's eyes lit up and he screamed in Zulu to his coworkers, proudly showing off his chain. I giggled at first and then after the eruption of laughter from the workers, I realized that I had done something unusual. I swiftly found Pendele, one of the women who I've grown to trust and love who also translates for us, and asked her to explain why the men had been laughing. She began to laugh herself when I told her and after she regained composure she sai
Post a Comment
Read more

JCR Welcoming Dinner

As part of New College, I was cordially invited to a welcoming dinner in the JCR Private Dining Room at St. Catherine's College. This invitation is considered an incredible honor and, after talking to the presidents, many students never receive the privilege of a formal dining experience in a college hall. The evening called for black tie attire, which meant tuxes for the guys and formal dresses for the girls. Luckily, I packed my sister's pink cotton candy gown. The evening began in a welcoming chamber. We entered and, having been handed a glass of sherry, began making small conversation. After a social bit, we were lead to the dining hall, where we were seated at a table purposely designed higher than the other tables in the hall, symbolizing its importance. The plates had individual name cards, designating seats. I sat to the left of the special, middle head-chair which seated, Deepak Mukhi, our program director. I took one glance at my place setting, noting the multi
1 comment
Read more