Random photos

Left Buenos Aires ridiculously early in the morning so that I landed in Quito, Ecuador early enough to still spend the day seeing the sights. The first thing I ran into was a performance of traditional folkloric dances (I've posted 2 of my 3 videos). I did a walking tour of Quito's Centro Historico, got fresh watermelon (watermelon?!) juice, and realized it's impossible to buy batteries on a Sunday (even in the touristy areas).

Before I knew what was happening, though, a strange man came up to me and wanted to talk to me, shake my hand, and give me a traditional kiss on the cheek. He made me nervous (actually, it was his teeth... he had nasty teeth), so I refused and backed off. On my way, I ran into his accomplice, who proceeded to talk to him... they wanted to rob me! Funny thing is, they were talking about it in Spanish... they didn't realize I'm fluent! Stupid criminals to start talking about robbing me in a language I actually understand.

After Quito, I went to Mitad del Mundo, which was a total tourist trap. Of course I had a great time anyway. Not much to say about it... there's supposedly a very cool museum there, but I never managed to find it (apparently it's several hundred yards outside of the Mitad del Mundo complex, down a side street). Guess I'll just have to go back to find it. Anyway, at least now I can say I've stood on the equator.

The next morning I took a taxi to the airport & caught a VIP flight to Lago Agrio. The plane ride was fine, but the bus ride from Lago Agrio to Cuyabeno was terrible. I got awful motion sickness and was hanging out the door of the bus puking (yummy imagery there right). After the bus, we got in canoes and proceeded down the rive to our lodge in the Amazon rain forest. Being as we were in the RAIN forest, the skies opened up and began to pour. I was the last one to get handed a poncho, which was in a bag knotted shut in such an incomprehensible manner that I had to have someone help me untie it, by which time I was drenched. In a panic, I threw the poncho on without looking at how I was doing it... which meant that the side slits went right down my back and the hood ended up upside down catching water. Well, I probably needed a shower anyway.

In Cuyabeno there are 2 lodges and about 8 camps. Lodges are significantly better than camps and include things like a dining area with real food and actual toilets. I stayed in the second best lodge, Cuyabeno Lodge (Tapir Lodge is the best, in case you're planning to visit). It was quite a shock that there was no electricity, no lights, half the cabins had no full walls, and you had to walk outside to get to the shared bathroom. There were no fans, it was stiflingly hot, and the humidity was so high that four days after being drenched on my way there, my shirt still hadn't dried. Half my clothes (and my guidebooks and plane tickets) actually started to mold. Way gross. It almost made the fact that there was no hot water bearable (almost... but not quite). Nice damp rain forest!

Being in the middle of the rain forest was awesome in spite of "roughing" it. We hiked through knee-deep mud, thick vegetation, and saw all kinds of animals. I saw several different types of monkeys, tons of birds, piranhas, several caymans, a sloth, pink river dolphins, and I even saw (briefly) an anaconda. Piranha fishing was awesome! It was for sure one of my favorite activities, even though I never managed to get one in the boat (I pulled 5 out of the water, but they somehow managed to let go of the hook). Our guide, Ramiro, was awesome. He told us about this fruit you could use to draw on yourself like henna. Of course I tried it... it was an old fruit though and didn't work so well (did work a little though). I had a ton of fun, but 4 days in the jungle without hot water, electricity, cell phone service, or internet was enough for me.

The trip back from the jungle was quite the adventure. That week strikes sprang up all over Ecuador (and Peru). So when 14 of the people from my lodge left Thursday to return to Quito, we got stuck right in the middle of them. First of all, a number of trees had fallen down across the river, making it difficult (and funny) getting through them. Having gotten that far, we then had to cross the strike lines. The roads were blocked in at least 3 places. The first place there were a number of large trucks blocking the road. We had to walk past the blockade with all our bags. However, the truck/van they had for us couldn't get past either so we were stuck. A representative from the Ministry of Tourism showed up with a very small truck (smaller than a small US pickup truck). They said they'd take us up to the next strike line and that we could pass through for $80. Of course, not all of us had that kind of money and we thought it a bit ridiculous. So the government representative decided to take us around the strike lines instead.


Keep in mind that the whole time this was going on, none of the other 13 people in my group were fluent in Spanish... and neither our group representative nor the ministry of tourism officials could speak any English. So I became the translator.

They put all 14 of us, all our bags, 2 or 3 guys from the ministry of tourism, our guide, and a driver into the little truck. All at once. And off we went. But the rainforest was (surprise surprise) muddy and the truck got stuck. Plus, there was a creek we couldn't cross in the truck. So we all had to get down and walk carrying our bags across a thin makeshift log bridge, through fields of mud, and during the rain for a kilometer or two. In fact, I was so weighed down that I did in fact get stuck in the mud repeatedly. One of the ministry of tourism guys had to help extricate me. Being ankle-deep in mud was pretty fun when I was wearing boots, but in flip flops it was much less fun.

We finally made it to a house at the edge of the forest and we hid under the porch, eating apples while we tried to dry off and cool down just a little. A man on a motorcycle showed up. They told us the bus could not get to us and we would have to walk another kilometer or two to reach it. Exhausted and bilingual, I asked if one of the guys could help me carry my bag. The hot downright sexy guy on the motorcycle offered to let me ride on the motorcycle to the bus. Well, so much for shomer negiah lol -- no way was I turning that offer down!!! However, one of the girls on our trip had hurt her knee and the group was in an uproar because I got to ride and they would have to walk. With all the shouting in English and all the rapid Spanish, I didn't have time to translate anything to explain what was going on to either side. So down the street I went with all my stuff on the back of a motorcycle with a complete stranger going about 40 miles per hour on an unpaved road full of potholes in the rain wearing no helmet while he dialed numbers on his cell phone and looked back to talk to me. I seriously thought I was going to die. As in, I was fervently praying that I not die. I have never been more glad to get onto a bus. I then gave the bus directions back to where the rest of the group was waiting -- then they were happy with me again. They sent me on the motorcycle because with my Spanish I could actually give directions to the bus!

With the help of motorcycle guy, we made it through one last roadblock, where a mob of angry people was burning all sorts of stuff (smelled bad... I think they were burning tires). I made it safely back to Lago Agrio, safely to Quito, and was able to leave the next morning for Peru.

B"H!!!!!!

For years there has been comprehensive reporting from Colombia that trade union leaders are targeted by paramilitaries for murder and other human rights violations. Much of this violence is directed at leaders of unions at multinational firms, including the bottling plants used by the Coca-Cola Company. One union representing workers at Coca-Cola, Sinaltrainal, has sustained heavy loses of leaders who were employed by the company. Since at least 1996, Sinaltrainal has been writing letters to Coca-Cola demanding that the targeting of trade union leaders at Coca-Cola bottling plants be stopped. No action was taken by the company to prevent the open association between paramilitaries and managers of the Coca-Cola bottling plants in Colombia. The ILRF case against Coca-Cola is on behalf of the trade union and five individual union leaders who were murdered, tortured, and/or unlawfully detained. The allegation is that the paramilitaries were brought into the bottling plants to use violence to exterminate the trade union with the specific consent of the managers of the Coca-Cola bottling plants. In this case, the connectionto companyofficials is quite direct- plant managers brought the paramilitaries into the plants for the specific purpose of terrorizing union members.

For example:
- at the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Carepa, Colombia the manager appeared with
several paramilitary members before the assembled workers. He warned them to
cease their union activities or face retribution from the paramilitaries.
- when the leaders of the union persisted in their representation of workers, the
paramilitaries returned and murdered Isidro Gil, the head of the local union,
inside the plant.
- the other workers were again gathered by the plant manager and told to resign
from the union or face the same fate as Mr. Gil. All qf the union members either
resigned or fled the area.

The ILRF case raises several other specific instances in which managers from the Coca-Cola bottling plants engaged paramilitaries to torture and kidnap union leaders to discourage their trade union activities. Coca-Cola purports to have a "code of conduct" that upholds fundamental human rights in all of its operations worldwide, but is claiming in the ILRF case that Coca-Cola is not responsible for what happens in its bottling plants in Colombia. Pulling a page from the Enron playbook, Coca-Cola claims to be able to profit from its subsidiaries, but to have absolutely no responsibility to those employed by them. Coca-Cola's motion to dismiss has been pending for over a year in the U.S. District Court in Miami, Florida.

Excerpted from:
THE ALIEN TORT CLAIMS ACT - A VITAL TOOL FOR PREVENTING CORPORATIONS FROM VIOLATING FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS
By Terry Collingsworth
Executive Director
International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF)
733 15thStreet N.W. # 920
Washington, D.C. 20005
202-347-4100 (phone)
202-347-4885 (fax)
terry.collingsworth@ilrf.org
www.laborrights.org

See also:
http://www.bbcf.ca/_articles/coca_cola_human_rights.htm
http://www.bupipedream.com/pipeline_web/display_article.php?id=2258
http://www.iacenter.org/Colombia/colomb_cola-kids.htm
http://www.iacenter.org/Colombia/colomb_libel.htm
http://www.dissidentvoice.org/July2004/Gill0727.htm

Ok, you probably think I'm kidding, right? WTF?! A lost city?? Richmond isn't lost... I mean, lots of people live there.  But wait... you don't know the whole story.

During World War II, frightened Richmonders were sure that Hitler would bomb them.  Richmond is, of course, the former capital of the Confederacy and was therefore quite important to the Nazis (yeah right. ha.).  The alternative theory is that it was a Cold War fear.  Hard to say.  Seriously, there used to be a major air force base here and it appeared to be a threat.  So a LOT of money was appropriated and a second, fake Richmond was built outside of the city.  In the event of an air raid, power to the real Richmond would be cut and lights would go on in the fake city.  Apparently from the air it looked similar enough to the Richmond of 60 years ago that from the sky you couldn't tell the difference!!  Well, Richmond never got bombed by Hitler or the Soviets.... so the question remained: what became of this ghost town?

That question was to be answered this morning when I set off with two friends (Josh & Beth) to find the LOST CITY!

First things first, for those of you wishing to visit the Lost City, you take 64 E to the Laburnum exit.  Bear right at that exit. Take a left on Williamsburg... pass the airport. Pass through Sandston. Eventually you will come to a light and you will take a right on Technology Blvd.  The entrance to the Lost City is off of there.  We compiled these directions after doing some online research and finding accounts left by others who had gone before us.  We also used a tax map of Henrico County, which shows paths corresponding to the main roads of the Lost City! 

The first thing we noticed was that almost all wooded tracts of land in that area are for sale -- including the tract of land that includes the Lost City.

The Lost City's main landmark is an old water tower. It is still standing, but it is difficult to see from the road.  Initially we went down onto Portugee Road (at the end of Technology Blvd.) and we took a right.  There are a number of paths entering the Lost City tract and an electric company easement running through.  We set off exploring from that side.  It was marked as property of Henrico County, so I don't recommend going this way, as you could be caught for "trespassing."

The path at the point of the easement became either overrun or was just plain in disrepair, so we could not locate it.  I wouldn't recommend wandering about in those woods off the path or you could get really lost, like the City.  Also, we were certain to wear jeans, long sleeves, and hats, as there are a LOT of ticks out there.  I already found several (at least 5 or 6 so far) on myself even being dressed so covered! I'm actually really worried I could have contracted Lyme disease because there is a lot of that that goes around.  So be really carefull if you go into these woods.

Having met with no success that way, we went back around to the side of the technology park, on Technology Blvd.  Driving back up, there is a turnoff on the right, into a technology center.  On the left side there are woods and this is where you want to enter.  There is a path leading into the woods and it was blocked off by a couple of roadblock.  Parking in this area is tough.  I suggest pulling off the road on Portugee and walking around.  We tried to park in the visitor lot of a technology center, but were told that we were not allowed to be on that property.  The security guards told us the company owned the whole property and that we should park on the road on Technology Blvd. if we want to check out the for sale property.  Heartening, though, was the fact that we could see the water tower from their parking lot!! We followed their parking instructions and entered the path.

The path is strange. For sure it is wide enough to acommodate large vehicles, like dump trucks or construction equipment.  But clearly this entrance has not been used for that purpose in a while, as there are many tree trunks lying across the path, almost deliberately so.  There are these odd pockmark holes in the ground also along this path, some of which had gathered water.

After going a little ways the road forks.  There is a lot of debris littering the area, including tires, metal scrap, and even things like an old washing machine, not to mention all the beer cans and bottles. 

If you go straight, there is supposed to be a lake on the left side of the path -- a manmade lake since drained and deserted.  We chose to head right, in the direction of the water tower.  As we walked, we noticed chunks of asphalt lining the sides of the path, and remnants of a paved road surfaced... the asphalt so cracked and grown over that it took on the appearance of cobblestones!

Further up were a couple more barriers and another fork in the road! More signs of life and building back here in the middle of the woods!

At this point we even noticed a PERFECT SIDEWALK -- in tact, beautifully paved, looking as good as if it had been put there yesterday, yet somewhat grown over.

A little later on we began noticing gutters and curbs -- grown over but otherwise in perfect condition!

Then we started seeing remnants of an old working sewage system.  Not just drainage ditches -- real working sewars!

Lo and behold just a little further on on the right we spotted a fire hydrant.  It was the first of many and each time it was strange to see a fire hydrant hanging out in the middle of the woods. It was marked with the year 1953 -- exactly the year our accounts spoke of, and appropriate timing for the building of the city. 

We unearthed a manhole cover with the letters VDH on it -- Virginia Department of Health!

We also saw a manhole with the cover removed. Through there you could clearly see the pipes of a working sewar system.

Proceeding onward, we found a fence and barriers, as well as remnants of caution tape. 

There were roads coursing EVERYWHERE throughout these woods. Most of them were completely overgrown and could only be identified by following the curbs, which curved around, forming normal streets and roundabouts... all the normal trappings of the Richmond of 60 years ago!

We went through the gate/barrier (which was open) and followed the path into the woods further. The road forked again and we took a right.  We didn't find much noteworthy out there, aside from running up to the back of one of the companies. We also found a broken down old fence.

We came back and took the other path -- to the left.  We found several interesting things out there, including several test wells.  We also found a rusted up and grown over lawnmower. We tried to start it, but it didn't work.  Guess 50 years out in the woods does that to a lawnmower!  Continuing on, we found more parts of the sewer system as well as some building foundations! From previous accounts, we expected to find them, but I suspect there were many more out there than we located.

We also found other landscaping things, chicken wire, poles, and even salt shakers! We found a lanyard indicating that Valley Crest Landscaping did the landscaping work.  I have yet to call them and ask about their relationship to the Lost City. But it'd be something fun to do. If anybody decides to call, post a comment about what they say! I'd be interested to know :)

Further on, we found a huge dirt embankment. It didn't look like it had been put there by nature, as there were no other signs of storm-related destruction (the only possible other explanation I could come up with).  I assume it had been put up for a reason.  On the other side of the embankment, we found shards of electrical equipment.  We also found tons of piled up building materials!! That included roofing materials, wood, and other things that I am not expert enough to name.  There were more landscaping materials and more sewer system . . . things.  More manhole covers. Those things were everywhere!

Back on the other side of the embankment, we found more housing materials and more sewer system stuff. It didn't make any sense to follow the path any further, so we retraced our steps back to where the gates were, where the road had divided.  The configuration of the road there was identical to Richmond's famous Monument Avenue.  There were roundabouts with evidence of what had once been statues in the center, just like monument. Also, it was one of the main roads in the Lost City, indicating that it was, indeed, a replica of Monument.

This time, we went to what would have been the right (since we were backtracking we took a left, but had we taken the path originally it would have been a right).  It was another significant road.  We found more fire hydrants and more roads going off every direction; far too many to follow.

Further down the road, we found a building!! The first fully intact building we'd seen in the Lost City!  The fence around the building was open and we went inside, to find that the strange building had doors on either side and a wall in the center.  Both doors were open.  There was a small window with bars at the bottom of the building.  When we went inside the main door, a huge rusted out iron door, we found pallets where generators would have been. The generators, of course, had been removed, but it was incredibly creepy being in there.  You could see all the electrical hookups and everything.

It was around this time that I began panicking about Josh's car.  Talk about weird; we parked where the Infineon people told us to park.  I told Josh I was worried his car would get towed.  His reply? "It's Sunday! And we parked where they told us to. It's not even your car, why are you worried?"  Besides, we'd been in the forest for about 3 hours already and nobody had so much as thought of the car. Why was I obsessing all of a sudden?

So we continued on and... found the water tower!! It was our ultimate goal and we achieved it.  To get there you go left off the main road, past the power station, and follow that path until you reach it. From certain points you may be able to see it through the trees.  We were very excited, but we were not able to enter to investigate.  There were fences 9-12 feet high all the way around, topped with barbed wire, and with giant metal barriers chained to the front.  There was no way we were getting in.  We took a photo though, to prove our victory.

At that point I really started freaking out about Josh's car, even though I tried to bite my tongue.  I was able to guide us out of the Lost City with no problem.  I have a great sense of direction -- straight until you reach the power station, right at the power station, go until you hit the fork in the road/roundabout, take a left, go straight until you hit the main fork in the road, take a left, go straight until you hit the entrance to the forest, right until you get to the car.

The car was gone.  There were a bunch of police.  Beth and I kept our distance and let Josh handle it.  I would have spouted a bunch of legal terms ("material misrepresentation of fact!" "invitees!" etc.) at the officers, and I doubt they would have appreciated it.  Well, after a bunch of calls to friends, Rocco agreed to come save us.  He picked us up and took us to where Josh's car was locked up.  Technically, the towing place wasn't even open for him to get his car back, but I called and sweet talked the dispatcher into letting us in to get the car.  He even gave Josh a fairly substantial discount!

So that was our adventure to the Lost City of Richmond.  It was creepy, thrilling, exhilirating.  I wouldn't recommend visiting it, but if you do, be sure to wear insect repellant.  We were all covered with ticks afterwards.  But at least I have a great summer adventure to share!!

So trying to make an exhaustive list of my favorite things... I imagine I will add to this continually :) I am also trying to find a link to match everything... but some things defy linking... :) There are some surprise links in there, though! So don't be afraid to click hehe...

In no particular order...

• Shabbat
• Toe socks
  
• Cardinals
• Dinosaurs
• Weeping Willows
• Orchids
• Travel
• Cecilia
• Pedro Almodovar
• Green -- dark, foresty green
• Israel
• Fuzzy Slippers
  
• Being healthy
• Spain
• Hugs
• Pizza... especially with Coca-Cola
• Long, hot bubble baths
• Mangoes
• Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
• Music
• Orange juice
• Dancing
• Lunch
• Massages
• Tapas
• Gael Garcia Bernal
• Green Beans
• My food processor
• Sunshine
• Naps
• Sleep in general
• Telling stories
• The gym
• Ideas
• Cats... especially mine! =^.^=
• Flow charts (can't link to anything because I am fiercely protective of my work)... you'd understand if you were as much of a workaholic law dork as I am.
• Manicures & Pedicures
• Spinach
• Pomegranate juice
• Friends (No, I won't list my favorite ones. But I do love Kelly the best out of anybody else on the planet... you'll all just have to deal.)
• Rioja
• "Okey Dokey Artichokey"
• Photography
• Art in general
• Cooking
• Cabbage
• My new lounge chair
• Creating
• Organic food (it tastes at least a million times better than pesticide flavored food)
• Warm weather
• Carrie Akre
• Ice cream (especially Haagen Dasz, and especially strawberry or mango flavors)
• Slurpees
• Life
• Edamame Sushi & everything that goes with it! (including miso soup... edamame.. seaweed salad... tater tots...)
• The Ocean
• Comfort
• Amelie
• My Little Ponies (if you get hooked, too, make sure it says "SoarAway" in the referral box!!)
• Dreaming
• Creme Brulee

I'm also brand-loyal... a few of my favorite brands/stores/etc. :) (I think I will refer people to this for shopping/gift purposes from now on lol!)

Also in no particular order...

• Zara
• Mango
• Dolce & Gabbana
• Prada
• Versace
• Gucci
• Manolo Blahnik
• Jimmy Choo
• Crate & Barrel
• Williams-Sonoma
• Kitchen Aid
• Haagen Dasz
• DKNY
• French Connection
• The Body Shop
• Coca-Cola (you know you want to admit how much better than Pepsi it is)
• O.P.I.
• Naked

Ok, I'm tired now. I think I'll go take a nap :)

Ok, not really... but I am going to be an extra on Law & Order: Criminal Intent tonight.... so watch!! 9/8c on NBC!!! Nevarren & I will be on! It's sooooooooo exciting!!

Never before last week’s speech by Ambassador Samir Sakir Mahmood Sumaida’ie, Permanent Representative of Iraq to the Unite Nations, had I realized just how similar Iraq in its present state is to Israel in its present state.  Israel as a nation today was created by Britain, to the opposition of locals. Iraq as a nation today was created by America, to the opposition of locals.  When considering the births of these two nations, it should come as no surprise that these two nations, so fundamentally different in their governmental and religious systems, actually have quite a lot in common.

 

One major difference between Iraq and Israel are the countries that bequeathed them.  Britain’s control over Palestine endured for much longer prior to the creation of Israel than the United States control over Iraq.  The Palestinians who now vie for control of Israel though violent means never did have control over that territory, whereas in Iraq the insurgent terrorists are largely a group of people who used to be in control or in a position of power.  Saddam sapped the resources of the country prior to the creation of the current Iraqi state whereas Britain cannot be said to have done that to Israel.

 

However, in spite of apparent differences, the similarities are much more striking.  Like Israel, the creation of the new Iraqi state is hotly contested and controversial.  It has just as many proponents as opponents, just as Israel did at its creation (and indeed continues to).   Ambassador Sumaida’ie addressed that the justification for the US intervention includes weapons of mass destruction and security. Even this bears much similarity to the justification for the creation of the state of Israel following World War II.  Much of the justification for the creation of Israel rested on the security of the Jewish people in the face of mass genocide by Hitler.  Again, similarities where you would not expect to find them.

 

One major similarity that became apparent during this speech was the ineffective management of the US army.  Instead of taking over with a strong arm and forcing control on the people to quell the immediate reaction that would inevitably follow, Ambassador Sumaida’ie noted that no curfew was declared.  The police and army were disbanded.  The natural result was, of course, chaos, looting, and violence.  This is similar to what occurred at the creation of Israel.  Immediately after the creation of Israel, a lack of central government control resulted in an immediate Arab attack on the new state.  This is much like what is going on in Iraq right now.  The hope should be that the situation in Iraq does not continue in conflict for so long a time as the conflict in Israel, which continues to this day.

 

Insofar as religion and government are concerned, one would expect that surely there would be no similarity, but again, similarities between Iraq and Israel arise where one never would expect to find them.  In Iraq, according to Ambassador Sumaida’ie, “the Koran [is] an important source of legislation but not the only source of legislation.” In Israel the Torah is also important as a source of legislation, but is not exclusive, as Israel is a democracy and not a theocracy.  In both countries the respective religious texts are important but not overarching when it comes to government.

 

It is interesting how similar the description of Iraqis is to that of Israelis.  When they go out, they live in fear of terrorism. Sending their children to school, riding a bus, is dangerous.  “They” refers both to Iraqis and Israelis.  Even the description of the outlook toward the future of the Iraqi people bears resemblance to that of Israelis – they are positive, they think things will be better soon.  The similarities are striking.

 

The insurgents in Iraq are so similar to the Palestinian terrorists that the results of their attacks can hardly be told apart.  Are we discussing Iraq or Israel?  The terrorists in both situations are fighting in the name of Islam, they are extremists, and they use the same techniques (such as suicide bombings).  It almost makes one wonder if the terrorists in both countries are working together . . . so when will Iraq begin to help Israel?  When will the victims join forces?