Blog

Posted on

Finished The Two Towers + Reasons to Move to CR

I have finished reading the Lord of the Rings books through Tolkien’s original 4th book or the published second of three big books, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Wikipedia) and I have watched the second of the three big movies, The Two Towers Movie (Wikipedia), which again doesn’t follow the book exactly but as with the first is very well done and accurate or very close to the book. Though I had read the books before, I had forgotten how long they are and how much detail Tolkien includes in every chapter, almost overwhelming at times, but of course is a super story like none other! I’ve now started the 3rd or final installment, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King book.

Just finished both book & movie.

16 Reasons Why You Should Move to Costa Rica

Last week Christopher had an article in Tico Times on Why Not Move to Costa Rica and this week he shares the converse of reason you SHOULD move to Costa Rica! 🙂 https://ticotimes.net/2021/10/23/16-reasons-why-you-should-move-to-costa-rica

¡Pura Vida!

Posted on

STREET ART: Nashville

My last post in this Street Art series will be from my last hometown in the states before moving to Costa Rica: Nashville, Tennessee USA (where I lived from 1977-2014 less 3 of those years in The Gambia). As in other places, Street Art was not my focus as a nature photographer, but this is a sampling with some commissioned art I’m sure.

There is so much “purposed” Street Art in Nashville that it leaves not much demand for “graffiti-style” art as you can see in my gallery: Pre-Costa Rica NASHVILLE Photos 1977-2014 within which you can find statues and architectural art along with art projects like the 2010 Bike Rack Sculptures, 2005 Guitars, and 2003 Catfish art objects found all over Nashville! Those are really a type of “Planned Street Art” as are some beautiful special installations like at Music Circle and Riverfront Park included in another gallery Public Art & Statues. Nashville is worth exploring by the art lover! Not to mention some great art museums & galleries! 🙂

Nashville Street Art
Continue reading “STREET ART: Nashville”
Posted on

STREET ART: The Gambia, West Africa

These photos were made in 1999-2002 in the Banjul and Serekunda areas of The Gambia, plus two in Albreda at the Slavery Museum near Juffre, the home of Kunta Kente of Roots book & movie. I believe these are the work of 4 different Gambia artists and most likely all were commissioned to do these public paintings.

Murals in the Senegambia Hotel district of The Gambia–photographed in 2002

READ MORE for a slide show of 8 different Street Art paintings . . .

Continue reading “STREET ART: The Gambia, West Africa”
Posted on

STREET ART: Panama City, Panama

From my Caravan Tour of Panama Gallery and full Panama City Gallery is a sub-sub-gallery titled Casco Viejo Street Art, one of my favorites from that trip. “Casco Viejo” just means “old city” and is one of two such historic districts in Panama City, the one resettled in 1673 after the big fire. Here’s just 4 of the many photos in the above linked gallery . . .

Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama
Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama
Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama
Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama

There is a temptation for me to write my interpretation of each piece, but this kind of art is better left to the interpretation or meaning of the viewer.

DISCLAIMER: “Street Art” for this series is paintings and tile work along streets, usually on buildings, that may or may not have been commissioned or done “illegally” without permission. I have no way of knowing. I purposefully did not include public statues, fountains, etc. obviously sanctioned by the government.

“Art must not be concentrated in dead shrines called museums.
It must be spread everywhere – on the streets, in the trams, factories, workshops, and in the workers’ homes.”

~Vladimir Mayakovsky

¡Pura Vida!

Posted on

STREET ART: Granada, Nicaragua

The fear of the Police probably stops most graffiti and street art in Nicaragua, especially in Manaus, but in the little tourist town of Colonial Granada on Lake Nicaragua I found these two works of street art on the sides of buildings. See my Gallery of other shots in Granada, a beautiful, photogenic, colonial town or at bottom of post, links to all of my two trips photos.

Granada, Nicaragua
Granada, Nicaragua

DISCLAIMER: “Street Art” for this series is paintings and tile work along streets, usually on buildings, that may or may not have been commissioned or done “illegally” without permission. I have no way of knowing. I purposefully did not include public statues, fountains, etc. obviously sanctioned by the government.

“Speak softly, but carry a big can of paint.”

— Banksy

If interested in Nicaragua, see all of my photos from two trips there in 2016, mostly for birding, but other local photography included:

¡Pura Vida!

Posted on

STREET ART: Other Costa Rica Cities

Here’s only 3 shots from our capital city of San Jose, which of course has many more admirable Street Art works that I have just not discovered yet! I don’t hang out in the big city much! I’m a nature photographer! 🙂 Also included is one from Alajuela, my provincial capital, and one from nearby San Ramon. These are the last of my Street Art photos from Costa Rica. Tomorrow I share just 2 from Nicaragua and then around the world we go! 🙂

San Jose
Continue reading “STREET ART: Other Costa Rica Cities”
Posted on

STREET ART: Tortuguero Village

Only a few hundred people live here but they have more interesting “Street Art” than many big cities! Of course it helps that they are in the middle of a National Park! 🙂 That link is to the official park website in Spanish and for my photo galleries of 3 park visits, use links at the end of this post.

DISCLAIMER: “Street Art” for this series is paintings and tile work along streets, usually on buildings, that may or may not have been commissioned or done “illegally” without permission. I have no way of knowing. I purposefully did not include public statues, fountains, etc. obviously sanctioned by the government.

Tortuguero, Costa Rica

Tortuguero village is reachable only by boat or plane in what is called “The Amazon of Costa Rica” along the country’s northeast coast or Caribbean side. The village is the heart of Tortuguero National Park adjacent the Park Visitors Center with transportation to all lodges by boat. One side is the Atlantic beach and the other a river/canal into the glades. Above is the one art pix for email notice of post and please click READ MORE for more photos of this nature-centric Street Art . . .

Continue reading “STREET ART: Tortuguero Village”
Posted on

STREET ART: Atenas, Costa Rica

This post begins a new series of “Photo Essays” that could become the new style of my blog, now that I’m not traveling as much. I’m starting with a “Street Art Series” of maybe a week’s worth of posts on places where I’ve lived or visited. The first is an unlikely art town, the little coffee farming town of Atenas where I now live . . .

“Graffiti is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings, and has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire.”

~Wikipedia

Here’s one street art in Atenas for the emailed post, then click & read on for more . . .

At Pachacuti Art Shop
Continue reading “STREET ART: Atenas, Costa Rica”