When Carolina invited me to her finca I did not know she had lots of horses and absolutely no inkling that we would be riding! When Carolina’s father asked me if I could ride, I hesitated in answering. Could I ride? Well I used to be able to ride but that was over 30 years ago (good grief – was it really that long ago?). Continue reading
Carolina’s finca
P.A.N.A.R.E
Doing service work at the P.A.N.A.R.E. Rehabilitation Center is not for the faint hearted. It is a center for people with special needs and not all patients are responsive. The name P.A.N.A.R.E is made up of the first two letters of each of the words: PAtronato NAcional de REhabilitacion: the full name of the center. It was founded by Dr Humberto Rojas Araya who fought to improve the quality of life for children affected by the polio epidemic in the 1950s. Continue reading
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Filed under Costa Rica, Service Projects
Semillitas de Amor: Seedlings of Love
This week I had the privilege of accompanying five UWCCR students and a teacher to a service activity in San Jose. The activity was at a house called Semillitas de Amor: Seedlings of Love. It is part of the organization: Confraternidad Carcelaria de Costa Rica, an international organization that was founded in the USA in 1976 by Charles Colson after his release from prison. Continue reading
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Filed under Costa Rica, Service Projects
A wonderful weekend in Peñalisa
I was kindly invited by the Nixon family to go to their holiday home for the weekend in Puerto Peñalisa. Puerto Peñalisa is about 120 km from Bogota but traffic makes the journey somewhat longer. It is a beautiful complex of many houses in lush tropical gardens and includes several communal facilities. Continue reading
Filed under Colombia
Botero: inspiration & nightmares…..
As much as I like and admire Botero’s work, going to the Botero Museum in Bogota was a little disconcerting for me, and walking through the gallery gave me a feeling of discomfort. It was the closest thing to revisiting my recurring childhood nightmares that I had experienced. Seriously! It was a little creepy. Continue reading
UWCCR students dazzle with scientific magic!
Today there was plenty of action to be seen and heard at the Escuela República de Francia in Pozos, Santa Ana. Popping of corks shooting across the yard to loud exuberant cheers, a volcanos of hot foam, eggs magically dropping into narrow necked beakers and more. Was this a magic show? Well yes and no. This was no ordinary magic show! Continue reading
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Filed under Costa Rica, Service Projects
Medellin: the city of eternal spring.
Medellin is an incredible city! After staying at the finca, Marta invited me back to her home in Medellin. She lives on the 16th floor in a beautiful apartment with views in every direction. Continue reading
Filed under Colombia, Places of historical interest