Goofing off Again!

I haven't made any glass in too long...so I haven't been posting either.  Just started going through photos for my class next week with Robert Mickelsen

https://www.pittsburghglasscenter.org/calendar/2013/7/1/lifeforms-creative-natural-imagery-in-lampworked-glass-july-1-5

and memories and the urge to blog have returned, so...where did I leave off?  One of our most interesting stops--and definitely the most "interesting" of tour leaders was at the Don Juan Bautista organic farm.  Our guide there (I've forgotten his name!)  was definitely entertaining, a bit of a psychopath and definitely a "Don Juan"  himself!  We saw, smelled and tasted a variety of exotic fruits and vegys and learned, in a very entertaining way, how they're grown.  Most of which I probably don't remember!  I'm sharing some of my photos from there and maybe one or two taken by our tour guide, Erick!

Don't remember what this slimy looking fruit was called, but it separates apart like pomegranate seeds.  You eat both the outside and the inside.  I didn't taste it...it smelled like ass!











I would only do this for chocolate...the cacao bean!



 

 

...and more cacao...

I think the ones on the right are the cacao blossoms!






The most fun to process...and to drink was the sugar cane juice...just like rolling metal!  Lot of work, though.

 

 

 

...and, of course we have bananas:

 

 

 

 

Those yellow blossoms are future bananas...and they grow upwards from there.

 

 

 



 

 





Those Trees....

OAT--the group that we do most of our travelling with is not known for staying in five star resorts.  Especially on a trip called "Real Affordable Costa Rica"  I wasn't expecting much when it came to our hotels.  We covered a lot of ground--6 hotels in 12 days.   Each one was nicer than the last.  One was actually an adult sleep away camp, cabins and all.  I wouldn't call it luxurious, but it was a beautiful camp.  More on that in a later post...

...Anyway, I was more than shocked when we pulled up at our second rainforest resort...and got off the bus at the Chachagua Rainforest Resort.  Both the rainforest and the resort are listed in the book, "1000 Places to See Before You Die".

 

 

 

Our OAT tour leaders keep surprising us and one afternoon our guide Erik, assisted by our driver put on a cooking class for us.  We had previously purchased ingredients at local markets.

 

 

 

And...the results of our efforts...

 



 

 

Yummy before dinner snack with a guanabana martini!  This was followed by a lovely sunset.  Photos are a bit fuzzy, but I had a few drinks in me!

 

 

Oh yes...and the lost photo...don't know if this one is the one that Photoshop ate or the second best one that I found later.  I am thinking of doing a small glass sculpture of trees, though I have to say my larger boro pieces have cracked.  I am going to attempt, perhaps with some work with a new boro friend...

 

 

                                                                    

 



 

 

 

 

A Trip of Firsts...

Costa Rica was definitely a trip of firsts.  My first time white water rafting--okay, so the waves were wimpy--I can still say that I did it!  The guide only had to grab me to prevent me from falling into the water once!  So...definitely a mild trip.  First time I saw Bob in a bathing suit--and there will be no pictures because he was upset with me for even mentioning it.  I still can't promise that I will refrain from posting a pic of him cooking though!

Did you know that OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) has the cure for fear of heights?*  I also managed to walk the 860-foot suspension bridge over the Rio Sarapiqui:


                                                                 

 



See...I'm even happy...as long as the bridge isn't bouncing.  I even glided over the trees on a zip line:

                                                                            

                                                                              

 

                                                                       
It really wasn't bad.  Can't say that it's something I'd want to do again, though.


*Machu Picchu
                                                                         

Holy Week in Costa Rica

Holy week in Costa Rica was a treat for the senses.  Our first full day in San Jose was Palm Sunday, so our first stop was church:  Crowds waving palm fronds and handing them out, and even a pageant:

I didn't think we got to see Jesus...but, is he the guy in the purple?  (Sorry!  I'm a Jewish girl!)

On Good Friday we rode by (an enactment...I hope!) of the crucifixion.  Didn't get a picture...but read about it in the news...

                                                                     

 

Every home had a crucifix in front of it.  During Holy Week, draped in purple, after Easter,     

draped in white.

 

Don't know what this was about...

                                                                                             

Costa Rica--Previews of coming attractions!

Costa Rica was definitely a trip of firsts:  my first white water rafting adventure--always wanted to do, first zipline--not so much!  First time I (and maybe the world!) have seen Bob in a bathing suit and (drumroll) the first time I saw Bob cook.  He'll never get away with that again.  I have pictures!

Other highlights included a visit to an organic farm with a very entertaining tour leader,  exquisite resorts--a shock, considering this trip was called "Real Affordable Costa Rica", playing in mud with the group...stay tuned.

                                                                  

Royal Flying Doctors and The School of the Air

Australia is a large continent geographically and its population is mostly concentrated in the large cities.  Central Australia, by contrast is very sparsely populated.  Until our visit there, I'd never thought about how people live in these remote areas.  How do they get medical care?  Where do they go to school?

These two questions were answered for us during our visits to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and The School of the Air.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides free medical services to people who live and work in remote parts of Australia.  Each plane is outfitted like a flying emergency room.  They are ususlly staffed by a nurse and a pilot.  In more remote areas they also have planes equipped as intensive care units.  According to the Australian government's website, in 2005 the organization treated 234,783 patients, an average of 643 a day.

The School of the Air provides education to children who live in remote communities.  It was established in 1948 in Alice Springs.  After a few years the School of the Air was officially established.  Before this time, children in remote areas would either have to attend boarding school or complete their lessons by mail.  In 2005 there were more than sixteen schools of the air located in Australia.  Each teacher tries to visit the home of each student once a year and the children and their families try to meet once each school year.  The rest of their contact is over the computers. This schooling costs the Australian government approximately $10,000.00 per student.

     http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/royal-flying-doctor-service

     http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/school-of-the-air

Burnie Beans and Aboriginal Art

A burnie bean is a bean from the Monkey ladder vine which is found in wetlands and rainforests in Australia and other parts of the world.  They grow in huge pods, up to 6 feet long.  They look much like a flattened buckeye.  They are used by the aboriginal people, as well as others in jewelry as well as in other objects.  The name comes from the fact that, when the beans are rubbed together they produce heat.  The beans are inedible, they are highly toxic.

Aboriginal folk law says that to carry a burnie bean brings good luck, as well as a connection to mother earth.

On my post titled "Back to Work"  I committed to making some Burnie bean beads, which I did--one just went into the kiln.  In my mind I don't have a shaky hand and I always think that I can do anything that I put my mind to--which I can't.  My first burnie bead is acceptable--but hardly exciting!  I am also obsessed with my "Ice" technique and have little interest in doing anything else at this time.  I am also thinking of getting away from beads and jewelry and into some more sculptural pieces.

As to my work sometimes not resembling what's in my mind's eye--I will no longer talk about my ideas for my projects, but post them as they grow.  So...on that note...I do have myt next project in mind, but won't spill the beans til it is further along.  Also, as it was 110 degrees in Australia for much of our trip, to translate any of that into "Ice" will take some doing!

So...on that note... I post one picture of my version of a "Burnie Bean":

...and on to some more travel memories--while I can still remember them!

Thank you to:

http://www.beachbeans.com/descriptions.html
and
www.janbalgallery.com.au