On the Streets of Bogota

There's a reoccuring theme on my blog; street art. It differs from city to city and is representative of the people who live there.

It's a political statement. 

It's a social commentary. 

It's cultural expression. 

It's art for art's sake. 

It is what it is. 

In Colombia during the 1960's and 70's, public walls were canvases for messages of government resistance. The political statements evolved into poetic graffiti which evolved into free expression that focused more on skill-set rather than a cause. Today, Colombian business owners seek out commissioned artists to decorate their store fronts.

Toxicomano (Toxic Hand) is a band turned street art crew consisting of an artist, a publicist, a sociologist, and an A/V producer. Their (often anti-capitalist) graphics cover the streets of Colombia in Bogota, Cali, and Medellin.

A stencil by the ex-rockers. In this case, spray paint > drums.

If you like to know the story behind the art, opt for a guided graffiti tour of Bogota. This one is in English and practically free.
http://bogotagraffiti.com/about

I spy with my little eye a PEZ wall.

San Diego Zoo

It’s crazy to think that if not for zoos, most of us would never see a live panda. Only a lucky few would be able to go beyond the photographs and National Geographic specials. But what about CGI technology? Are we just supposed to believe they exist?! Show! Me! The! Panda!

The San Diego Zoo does a fantastic job of teaching about the animals and plants in the park and why they're here. It almost feels like a school with wildlife in it. There's an informational sign in every exhibit explaining where the animal lives, what they eat, if they're at risk for extinction and why. Sadly, seeing it in writing makes me realize the endangered list is way longer than I thought. Learning while observing makes for a much more fulfilling visit. *pushes up nerd glasses* But, seriously...

My favorite part of the zoo is the Lost Forest - a multi-level walkway through the tree canopy and forest floor for a peek at some of the most endangered and rare monkeys in the woooooorld. I could sit and watch these funny dudes think and play all day. They're amazing! With tears in each of our eyes, we definitely shared a special moment. I just wanted to cradle my new furry BFF and soothe the worried, goobery eye-d look on his face. 
“I know, lil' buddy. Everybody’s butt itches sometimes.”

"You gonna finish that banana?"  -Baby bonobo 

Koalas are my other favorites. They’re fluffy and smell like Vicks Vapor Rub. I went to Australia in high school as part of a student ambassador group solely based on the fact that I would have the opportunity to hold a koala. And what a rare experience it was! Koalas sleep 20 hours a day so just being able to see one in their waking hours is lucky- holding one is the motherload. The San Diego Zoo actually has the largest colony of koalas outside of Australia and enough eucalyptus in the air to clear your sinuses.

Look at that form.

The Elephant Odyssey appears to be the Four Seasons of zoo life. The seven elephants (six Asian, one African) have 2.5 acres to roam with several pools to sunbathe in. Since they could easily mow down a real tree, the exhibit features specially designed ‘utilitrees’ that provide shade, food, and treats for the gentle giants.

Wild Facts:

1. There are more muscles in an elephant’s trunk than in a human’s body.

2. Koalas only eat eucalyptus leaves, but there are over 600 different types to choose from.

3. There are 300 different types of bamboo that grow in China. Half of the world's population actually depends on bamboo for food, medicine, and furniture. 

4. A group of birds is not always called a flock. Depending on the species, you may have a parliament of owls, an ostentation of peacocks, a murder of crows, an unkindness of ravens, or a covey of quail. 

5. The average caterpillar is 10-15 calories. Diet food!

6. Rosy periwinkle (found in the rainforest) gives kids with leukemia a 90% chance of remission.  

7. A baby raccoon is called a 'kit.' A litter may have 1-7 kits.

8. A huge ficus tree, nicknamed the Big Fig, is the centerpiece of the zoo's Lost Forest exhibit. She is over 50 years old and weighs 220 tons. It took four weeks (a rate of 91 inches a day) to move 214 feet from her original location in the zoo to her current home.

9. The San Diego Zoo offers sleepovers! Like, in a tent! Imagine the crazy noises you’d hear at night. 

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/special/sleepovers


To donate to the San Diego Zoo or adopt an animal, check out http://www.sandiegozoo.org/donate/

…Raawr!...

Where California Began

Europeans discovered this peninsula in 1542 that marks “where California began.”

What is…Point Loma? 

Ding! Ding! Ding!

September 28, 1542 - Portuguese navigator, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, led an expedition for the Spanish to explore the United States’ west coast. He landed at Point Loma, the peninsula of land that separates San Diego Bay from the Pacific Ocean.

Point Loma Lighthouse was San Diego’s first lighthouse built in 1855 to guide sailors through the foggy bay. For many years it was the highest coastal light in the country. Though perched 422 feet above sea level, the beams of light couldn’t be seen through the thick marine layer so in 1891 a new lighthouse was built closer to sea level.

The coastal views from the lighthouse are breathtaking. Yea, I used the word ‘breathtaking.’ And if you’re not in awe of the scenery you may literally get the breath knocked out of you because it is WINDY!

 

The Point Loma Lighthouse became the site of the Cabrillo National Monument in 1913. There’s a statue dedicated to the explorer, museum, and visitor center. Be sure to check out the short film that explains Cabrillo’s expedition in depth. A narrator actually sails the course that Cabrillo took in the 1500’s. For us visual learners, it breaks it down quite nicely.

The heart of every lighthouse is (wait for it)…the light. The lens range in size from 5th Order (smallest) to 1st Order (largest). The one pictured here was made of polished brass and several hundred hand-ground crystal prisms. It’s a 3rd Order lens that shined more than 20 miles over the Pacific Ocean from Point Loma. Maintaining the lens and lighthouse was extremely grueling work that consisted of heavy physical labor - carrying gallons of oil up a narrow spiral staircase several times a night. Keepers would also be responsible for recording endless logs and files and maintaining the grounds. It was an around the clock job that didn't pay overtime. 

As a California resident, I never even thought to ask who discovered the state or when. It’s so convenient to remain in the 21st Century where unfortunately keeping up with the Kardashians is easier than spending an afternoon learning about the history of our country. Understanding the chronicles of the world around us and the hardships people went through hundreds of years ago that allow us to be here today makes our everyday so much more interesting. You look at the world differently, with appreciation. 

On the west side of the peninsula are sandstone cliffs called the Sunset Cliffs, geologically named the Point Loma Formation. They contain 75 million year old dinosaur fossils from the Late Cretaceous period. It’s one of the few sites containing dinosaur fossils in California.

If you walk up an appetite, Point Loma Seafoods is a short drive down the hill. This place always draws a crowd because the fish is fresher than a daisy. The atmosphere is super casual; order at the deli counter and lounge in plastic chairs overlooking the harbor. They close at 6:30 daily.

Point Loma Seafood's Clam Chowder Sourdough Bread Bowl and Shrimp Louie Salad

Background Info and Miss Adventure's Know Before You Go:

1. The Point Loma Lighthouse was one of the original eight west coast lighthouses. Six of the eight, including the Point Loma Lighthouse, were built in the cape cod style- a one and a half story building with a central, spiral staircase leading up to the lantern room.

2. Alcatraz (Spanish for Pelican) was the first of the West Coast lighthouses. On an island in the San Francisco Bay, keepers would stand watch all night in the fog ringing a bell by hand.

3. Cape Disappointment Lighthouse (also one of the original eight) in Washington got its name when the Oriole sank nearby while bringing supplies to build the lighthouse. To illuminate the 1st Order lens required five gallons of oil each night.

 

4. Jacket! It will keep you warm in the windy high altitudes or at the very least be a parachute if you blow off the cliff. 

5. It only takes about twenty minutes to drive from San Diego’s Gaslamp District to Point Loma. Just be sure to leave yourself enough time to explore the grounds before sunset.

6. Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is a burial ground that overlooks the Bay for fallen soldiers since the 1860's. 

Monument dedicated in Cabrillo's honor