They quietly sit empty in Florida on a small and shallow lake. Urban decay somewhere in Florida.
"Without publicity there can be no public support, and without public support every nation must decay." - Benjamin Disraeli
Meet Belle
The sculpture is called Belle. It suggest the natural curves of a woman, according to many.
The abstract sculpture was designed by artist John Portman and he said it was inspired by the female form.
It quietly sits in front of the Hotel Indigo on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, GA (230 Peachtree). It stands at 18-feet tall and is cast in chrome and sits quietly on a granite pedestal.
Weight: 4,750-pounds
The sculpture was made in New York by Portman and later hauled to Atlanta by way of a flatbed trailer.
I am Nashville
I am Nashville! Well, I'm not, but he is.
I shot this photo as this man was waiting on a bus in downtown Music City, as he was listening to music.
"If you had told me when I was starting out that I would be coming down to Nashville, kind of weaving in and out of the country scene, I never would've thought that in a million years." - Kid Rock
Volcanoes
In the middle of nowhere of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is home to a large number of volcanoes, six of which are active including the one you see in the background of this shot.
As we attempted to get closer to the Volcano, we were quickly stopped by an armed park ranger. He did not understand my question about photography and I failed to understand his reply. So, this is as close as I could get to this particular volcano.
The last time there was a major volcanic eruption in Costa Rica was in 1910. The volcano that erupted still has geysers that explode as high as 820 feet into the air.
Food for sale everywhere in Masaya
Homemade fried pies for sale! Food is for sale everywhere in Masaya, Nicaragua and in the outlying areas of the town. In this case, bakers sell what appear to be homemade fried pies. Many of the vendors work long hours seven days a week to support their family.
Horses on the Edge
Horses in Nicaragua on the edge of what was once an active volcano.
In the background, Laguna de Apoyo in Nicaragua… This was once an active volcano thousands of years ago, but it blew its top, literally. It is now a Laguna or what Americans would call a crater lake.
In 1991, this beautiful landscape was categorized as a nature reserve, which means it is protected land.
Old South Pittsburgh Hospital
In 1959 four doctors founded the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital in the hills of South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. The medical facility met the surgery needs of the community and even had a small wing for mental patients.
Some report the hospital is haunted due to the many deaths that occurred in the block and concrete structure over the years. As with any medical facility, some of those deaths involved children, adults, car wreck victims, etc. Wrongful death suits were filed in several cases, but that was not believed the reason for the hospital closing their doors to patients in 1998.
Due to a brand new hospital opening in a nearby city, the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital could no longer stay in the black.
Prior to the hospital being constructed, the land that the facility sits on was once a large southern plantation. A fire in the 1920’s destroyed the plantation home which reportedly left 7 children dead, according to the Old South Pittsburgh Hospital Ghost Hunters.
Today, the former hospital has been labeled as one of the most haunted places in Tennessee. To answer your question, no… I did not feel as if it was haunted. But, maybe I refuse to think such a structure could be haunted and therefore failed to see what others have claimed to see.
Life on a Farm in a Third World Country
On a Costa Rican farm.
“Good farmers, who take seriously their duties as stewards of Creation and of their land's inheritors, contribute to the welfare of society in more ways than society usually acknowledges, or even knows. These farmers produce valuable goods, of course; but they also conserve soil, they conserve water, they conserve wildlife, they conserve open space, they conserve scenery.” ― Wendell Berry
Laguna de Apoyo in Nicaragua
Laguna de Apoyo in Nicaragua… This was once an active volcano thousands of years ago, but it blew its top, literally. It is now a Laguna or what Americans would call a crater lake.
In 1991, this beautiful landscape was categorized as a nature reserve, which means it is protected land.
Weaving masterpieces of art with leaves
She was maybe 13 years old at the most and she loved art. Quietly, she would find somewhere in the shade to sit and weave grasshoppers, hearts, crowns, and more with dried strands of coconut palm fronds. A frond is the leaf like section of a palm or similar plant.
She was a master at weaving the long leaves into shapes of all sizes. She never asked for a single penny, but instead picked out women passing by to hand them to as a decoration for their hair or shirt. She would hand them her creation with a huge smile.
Child playing as parents work for food
She was quietly playing in a small alley as her parents were working hard to make a living for the young family. Her mother and father were selling good in the market while their daughter kept busy.
"There is no substitute for hard work." - Thomas A. Edison
Kindness
He was one of the kindest men that I met in Nicaragua. He spoke of a love for his country, but only a growl for the government. He spoke highly of his family that he works hard to support in the grueling sun, but poorly about the Nicaraguan military that gives many a hard time.
In his right hand are pens with covers on each one that read “Nicaragua.” He sells these pens day after day at the border and uses the money he earns to feed his wife and children.
As he talked I could not help but to think of him as being highly educated in an uneducated country. He knew English well and could carry on a full conversation in both Spanish and English. He talked to me for about 45-minutes about his country, the border patrol and never asked for a penny. He would pause from time to time to sell one of his handmade pen covers and pens to a passing tourist, but he was still focused on our conversation.
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." - Mark Twain
She had a scar that ran down her forehead
She had a scar that ran down her forehead to the left side of her nose. I did not dare ask why, but could not help but to be curious. The lines on her face were deep and her hair white. She quietly walked through a busy market asking passerby’s for money. I had already spent my last three dollars on corn cookies, so I had nothing to spare. She pleaded with me in Spanish to hand her whatever I had. I patted her on the back and had to walk away.
In 2009 the World Bank reported that Nicaragua was the poorest mainland country in Central America. It is a title that Nicaragua has yet to get away from as it was reported again in 2015 by the BBC. If you travel offshore and include all Latin American Countries, Haiti ranks number one as the poorest, followed by Nicaragua.
Nicaragua has been through civil wars, overzealous dictatorship and hurricanes that left thousands dead in 1998 and 2007, just to name a few of the uphill battles that residents have faced over the years. 75.8% of Nicaraguans survive on less than $2 per day. Numbers like that leave children venerable to death, disease and malnutrition.
Five of the country’s 17 departments (similar to states) have chronic malnutrition rates of more than 30%, and the rate exceeds 50% in the regions where most of Nicaragua’s indigenous people live. To make matters worse, many residents don’t understand good nutrition. The government actually encourages families to pull children out of school to help with agriculture. More than 500,000 children in the country do not attend school and 21% of those who do give school a try, drop out before the end of the first grade. Only 40% of children enroll in high school and of that number, on 40% graduate.
He needs between $200 and $400 for a new leg
He lost his wife in 1999 due to complications caused by diabetes. Today, he is on his own and living by himself in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He scoots around town on his motorized chair and manages to make it to the library, the Journey Home and multiple other stops on a daily basis.
He has a prosthetic leg, but is in need of a new one. His insurance will cover 80% of the costs, but needs help paying for the remaining 20% difference. That difference will be between $200 and $400.
Last year he was able to come up with enough money to buy an inexpensive leg, but it is uncomfortable and does not fit properly. He earned the money to pay for it by selling personal items on the local square. Some folks simply gave him a few dollars, while others bought his personal goods.
Costa Rican Mountains
The Costa Rica landscape is comparable to no other. Years ago earthquakes, flooding and volcanoes shaped the land to what you will see today when visiting.
Fast flowing rivers, beautiful waterfalls, active volcanoes, massive craters are all over the 19,730 square mile country that is filled with a relatively small population of about 4.8 million residents.
Some of the beaches have white sand while others are black mixed with speckles of white. Monkeys swing from tree to tree while iguana’s lounge around waiting for an unsuspecting bug to cross their path.
"All trails seem to lead to waterfalls, misty crater lakes or jungle-fringed, deserted beaches. Explored by horseback, foot or kayak, Costa Rica is a tropical choose-your-own-adventure land." -Lonely Planet
Iguana soup and bull testicles - Yummy
He was sitting beneath a tree outside a marketplace in Masaya, Nicaragua. The bag in front of him contained a cure all miracle cream of sorts that he was trying to sell all day. He needed a break under a shade tree, but he continued to ask passerby’s if they would like to try a sample.
His hands showed signs of a hard worker while the lines on his face clearly told me that he has spent many days in the hot sun.
Masaya, Nicaragua is an interesting area as it is filled with artist who sell their work in craft shops, make shift art studios and more. Plus, it is home to a wild mixture of culinary cuisines.
Some of the fine foods that locals can dine on prior to giving up meat for Lent as many do, include Iguana and Armadillo.
According to a 2013 article in The Huffington Post, “Catholics tired of fish on Friday can enjoy a Lent-friendly smorgasbord in Nicaragua, where soups made with iguana or armadillo are served with a healthy portion of bull testicles.”
I think I will pass. While in Masaya I picked the chicken shish kabobs served with rice. I think that was a wise choice.
A good salesman in a tough enviroment
With the smile you would think he has the best thing to sell since sliced bread… he was selling magnet’s similar to the magnet’s you find at museum’s all over America that kids play with. In Nicaragua, that is a pretty cool item for kids to play with. So, he was selling the best thing since sliced bread in his third world environment that he calls home.
My hat is off to him for finding an honest way to make a living in a unique environment with a hard to find item.
"Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman - not the attitude of the prospect." -W. Clement Stone
Cashews are sold everywhere in the Third World Country
The minute you step foot into Nicaragua, you instantly see people selling cashews everywhere you go. It is an interesting place to visit as everyone is trying their best to survive which means selling freshly harvested goods, sunglasses, hats, purses, t-shirts.
Cashews that are truly organic are one of the many secrets hidden in the country of about 6.2 million residents. Most people don’t realize it, but cashews are actually a fruit. After the fruit is picked, the cashew seed which hangs at the bottom is roasted, which gives it an excellent taste. The portion of the cashew that connects to the tree can be used to make fresh juice after the cashew is harvested from the bottom.
Dried and roasted cashews are sold on the streets of Nicaragua like newspapers are sold at some intersections throughout the United States.
I bought her corn cookies
She was walking through a Nicaraguan market and I made eye contact with her. She put down her basket and insisted I try one of her homemade cookies. I had no idea what she was saying, but it was obvious what she wanted me to do as she pulled a cookie out of a bag and handed it to me.
I tried the cookie and I smiled real big. It took everything I had to swallow it. It was the driest cookie I had ever eaten. I found out later that it was made with corn.
Long story short, I could not tell her no. So, I bought a bag of her homemade corn cookies for $3.
He was eating with his family
He was sitting at a small table with his family next to an outdoor food vendor in Masaya, Nicaragua. The city is home to around 130,000 to 150,000 residents squeezed into a small area on the map. The city is to the east of an active volcano called Volcan de Masaya. The area is known as “The City of Flowers.”
The city is filled with history. One of the most notorious events occurred in 1912 as Nicaraguan rebel forces opened fire on United States Marine Troops on their way to Granada. The attack occurred during a period of civil war within the country.
The unprovoked attack on the Marines lasted for about one hour. Five Americans were wounded and three were captured by the rebel forces. The Nicaraguan Rebels lost 56 men who were killed by Marines during the attack. 70 rebels were wounded and 12 of those later died. The Marines continued on their journey to Granada and eventually convinced the rebel commander known as Luis Mena to surrender. Mena eventually went into exile in Panama.
Today the city is known for producing wicker furniture, cigars and leather products. The city is also on the critical crime list, according to the U.S. Department of State. Americans have experienced both violent and non-violent crimes in Masaya.