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Pura Vida

Knowing that this was my last passion blog, I was obliged to talk about the number one place to visit on my list: Costa Rica. Costa Rica isn’t big on tourism, nor is it really known. I found out about this beautiful country because my dad has a lot of business with Costa Ricans. Costa Rica ‘s capital is San José, and the official language is Spanish. About 65.8% of the population is white. Costa Rica is about 12 degrees north from the Equator, having tropical-like weather all year. Since the weather is so nice, there are many parks. One is the Corcovado National Park. This is not only considered a “crowned jewel” to biological research, but it also makes up about one third of the peninsula. There is so much wildlife from tree frogs to crabs to even tigers. Recently, Costa Rica banned recreational hunting, making it one of the first to ban this in South America. There are also other national parks such as Miguel Antonio National Park and Tortuguero Nation Park.

Costa Rica also has many volcanoes. There is the active volcano of Poás, which has erupted just about forty times in the past hundred years. There is also the Arenal volcano, which is also active. And then there is the inactive volcano Chato. All of these volcanoes form part of the Central America Volcanic Arc.

Lastly, La Paz Waterfall Gardens are also a big tourist attraction. La Paz means peace, so the waterfall is named as a peace waterfall. Another famous waterfall is La Fortuna, also known as the fortune. This waterfall is found in the middle of the rainforest. It might look little, but looks are deceiving as it stands 75 meters (246 ft).

Overall, Costa Rica provides for a lot of nature and parks. It is known for its tropical climate year-round and is such a beautiful country itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_Rica

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CI: School Lunches

Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama is the lady to blame for the tasteless, so-called healthy cafeteria food. Throughout my high school career, I had the pleasure (Yes, “pleasure”) of seeing all kinds of food go into and out of my high school cafeteria. We went from having a past bar every Thursday, to having none. They took away the white bread. How could they do that? Wheat bread is nowhere similar to white bread. I didn’t really mind this since I don’t even eat bread, but the rants and venting I heard all over the school certainly sufficed. However, the school did offer more food options, since the healthy cafeteria food was just starting to come into play. Furthermore, the school also got rid of all fried foods, including fries and tenders, which is a teenager favorite. In addition—yes there is still more—the school also got rid of all sugary drinks like strawberry milk and added sugar-free drinks left and right. What the heck am I eating if it’s not white bread or a mere strawberry milk? On the bright side, I don’t have to deal with any of that nonsense, but most people do all over the country. This is an epidemic since there are schools everywhere changing their menus. I believe the real solution to the overwhelming obesity problem in the US would be to bring healthier, more appetizing lunches to the school. Sure, most people might prefer fried chicken tenders, but there is always a healthy alternative to this which would be to lightly coat the chicken with the Panko breadcrumbs (an alternative to regular breadcrumbs; these are a light, crunchy Japanese-style coating) and simply bake them. It’s not that hard and time is probably saved. There are thousands of solutions the school lunch problems that schools need to take in order for there to be a more effective outcome. Teenagers will probably eat anything that looks and smells good, but if there is wheat bread and lunch ladies forcing the students to eat healthier, there might not be a great ending.

The battle with food is everywhere. It is up to the citizens of this country, and all countries, to better the overall situation.

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CIVIC:Food Issues

Fast Food Restaurants

Over the past decade, fast food restaurants have really become a trending topic on news channels and social media everywhere. Are they really using real meats? Are they real potatoes?

I took the liberty of doing some research and I actually found a short documentary on Netflix about McDonalds. It was about an hour long, but really did not answer any of the questions. According to their website, McDonalds uses “100% USDA meat with no fillers.” On the other hand, the chicken nuggets are made of “white chicken meat.” It does not say here if the meat is USDA approved or if it is just chicken. It’s actually a little bit deceiving in some way.

The next restaurant I looked at was Subway. They boast about their food being extra healthy for you and what not, but is it really? I found that in order to keep the greens fresh and lasting, extra preservatives are added to them to make their shelf life longer. Now let’s talk about the bread. The bread is baked fresh, but it also has more than fifty ingredients in order for it to “taste fresh.” It has hidden MSG to tons of refined sugars to even dough conditioners. The chicken, however, is not USDA approved, or at least was not mentioned. Apparently, the American Heart Association is now going to be putting it’s approval label on Subway. Don’t get me wrong, Subway is healthy depending what each person puts on his/her sandwich.

Overall, fast food restaurants can be okay, from time to time. Most fast food restaurants continue to use processed veggies and meats not USDA approved, but you most likely won’t die because from this.

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When in Greece…

The next place on the list is Greece! I have never been there, but I really would love to go. Not only is this place Antique and culturally rich, but it is also beautiful.

The first place anyone should try to go to when in Greece is Athens. Athens is the actual capital and the biggest city in Greece. It is home to the Acropolis, Parthenon, and the ancient Agora. There is also the Temple of Zeus, the king of the gods. You could literally spend a week in Athens and still not be done with all the sightseeing and museum hopping. I just think it’s so fascinating going to one of the world’s oldest cities and seeing some of the building and temples still preserved.

Aside from all the ancient sites, Greece has a lot of beautiful landmarks and sights.

Do you ever get on Pinterest and see pictures of:

Screen Shot 2014-04-03 at 12.35.40 AM Screen Shot 2014-04-03 at 12.35.49 AM

Yeah, I have a complete board that saves all of these pictures on my Pinterest. It’s pretty cool.

I would love to visit Santorini, Greece. This is an island off of the coast in the Aegean Sea. One of the cities best features is the architecture of all of their buildings. The city is basically built on a rocky mountain/island. The mountain is simply the remains of a volcanic eruption many years ago. The population is right under 15,000, and the city is said to still be part of an active volcano.

Another city that would be great to visit is Mykonos. Mykonos is also an island, making it absolutely breathtaking. Of course, when I think of this city all I can picture are white bulidings with blue roofs and clear-blue beaches, but that is not all. There is so much to do here like visit the archaeological museums located in the city. It’s harder to talk about without actually showing pictrues so here are a few:

 

When in Greece be adventurous! 🙂

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Jordan

I haven’t been to many places, but if I could I would definitely go to Jordan. It’s not a place most people would say they want to go to. It’s a country biblically rich. There are so many places to visit here too. The first place to visit would be Petra, Jordan. There is The Treasury, which is built into the side of a mountain. It was said that this is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.  It is also called the Rose City, since the stone it was carved out of is from a pinkish stone.

Another place in Jordan to visit would be Amman. Amman is the capital and most inhabited city of Jordan. It is considered as one of the oldest cities in the world. It is home to many Roman ruins and landmarks. The Roman Theater is one of the city’s main attractions. At one point in time, this theater could seat up to 6,000 people and was used for theatrical performances/entertainment. It’s pretty neat that it is still in use today after so many years. Also in Amman, there is the Citadel near the downtown area. This is the world’s oldest inhabited city. It holds the temple of Hercules, a Byzantine Church, a Mosque, and the Palace Dome.

File:Jerusalem Gethsemane tango7174.jpgAnd of course, there is Gethsemane. This is said to be the garden of olive trees that The Gospel of John stated Jesus had entered with his disciples the night before he was crucified. It’s just pretty fascinating that the garden still exists today. Furthermore, there is also the Temple of Artemis (in Jerash, Jordan). This temple was built on the most elevated ground in the city. This was built in Ancient times, when the city was named Gerasa. The temple was built in honor of the Greek goddess Artemis, daughter of Zeus and twin of Apollo. The entire city of Gerasa is still, for the most part, present. There are more buildings and temples to visit here.

Gerasa Temple of Artemis

There are so many places to visit in Jordan due to its antique, rich preserved sites and landmarks. I would definitely love visiting Jordan someday.

http://www.bibleplaces.com/gerasa.htm

 

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DC

Washington DC: home to the president of the US, congress, and tourism. I recently visited DC over spring break. The weather was great, which made the entire trip even better. I recommend going to the Smithsonian museums. Most museums in DC are free any way, but there are a few that charge. I would highly recommend going to the National Air and Space Museum (it’s one of the best). I would also suggest visiting the White House, although you have to apply three weeks prior to your trip. I would also highly suggest renting a Segway or bicycles because there is more than enough of walking all over the city. Aside from all the typical stuff you visit in DC, I would suggest taking a stroll through the old streets of Georgetown and perhaps going for a little shopping trip. Georgetown is an antique town home to one of the university in the country.

In addition to the tourist attractions, there are many places to go and grab a quick bite to eat. Since I am a student and currently do not have fifty dollars to spend on food in DC, although I’m sure it would be nice, I had to go with a bit more lower-priced restaurants (don’t get me wrong, they serve delicious food).  So, the first place is Ben’s Chili Bowl. This place not only is an official landmark, but it also so cheap! A chili bowl comes to be just under five dollars and is enough to fill you up. There is also a sign outside of the place that states that the only people that can eat for free are the president and Bill Cosby. And lastly, a place to go for any sort of dessert is Serendipity 3, located in Georgetown. This place is a bit pricy, but trust me you will definitely get what you paid for. I had the fried Oreo sundae, but I know that everything they make is just as good as what I had.

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Are They Really Organic?

 

For years people have been being strongly convinced that organic foods are way better than regular foods. For fruits and vegetable in particular, some products tend to be “organic” in the sense that chemicals are used to keep the product being organic. So in the long run, are these high cost foods really worth it?

When you see the word “organic,” you usually think it’s healthier. This stereotype is quite wrong. The difference with organic foods and regular foods is the way they are processed. For example, organic fruits and vegetables are not filled with man-made preservatives. Instead, these foods are made with natural fertilizers. This not only reduces pollution, but it is, in a way, better for your body to break down.

Now, on the other hand there are differences within organic foods. For example, in order for a fruit or vegetable to be organic it must first be USDA certified. Furthermore, there is a difference between 100% organic foods and just organic foods. Organic foods simply are up to 95% organic. 100% organic foods are completely, and absolutely, organic.

Some people also tend to confuse natural with organic. Organic foods must abide by all USDA standards in order to be organic. Foods labeled as natural are mostly hormone-free or pesticide free.

There is, however, a huge downside to organic foods: the cost. Everyone knows that organic foods are usually higher priced that the conventional foods, but not many people know why. A reason why the price is much more is because there is way more labor involved since there are no chemicals whatsoever involved in the overall process.  Also, there is a higher demand for organic products, which is great for the people selling organic products. In addition, the overall cost of getting foods certified by the USDA is a costly process, which in turn makes the cost of the actual product be higher.

Overall, organic foods have been, and still are, a controversial issue everywhere. Many people do not know what organic actually is, therefore thinking it is simply healthier.

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Que saudade! (Brazil)

So this past summer I had the chance to go to Brazil for the World Youth Day, which was pretty awesome. It was quite the hassle trying to get all of the paperwork in order and getting the shots needed, but it is definitely worth it. I visited mainly the city of Rio de Janeiro. It was our summer, but since Brazil is below the equator it was their winter there, which wasn’t that bad since it was 70 degrees most days. The first two days were awful because it was windy and raining, but after that the trip was great. I would recommend visiting, of course, the Christ the Redeemer statue. It is considered as one of the world’s seven wonders. It sit on top of one of the higher mountains in Rio and measures about 30 meters high and 28 meters wide. Apparently, the statue was struck by lighting and part of the hand fell off a few weeks ago, but it is being fixed. It is also considered the world’s largest Art Deco statue. It’s a gorgeous statue with a great view of the city.

Secondly on this tour is Praia Ipanema, Ipanema Beach. This is such a great beach. The beach is quite different from our version of beaches. There is no boardwalk, but there are little huts that sell delicious Brazilian drinks. One of the best drinks I have had was quite simple; a coconut. When I say coconut, I don’t mean a brown, fuzzy coconut; I mean a big green coconut. The coconut water inside of it is divine. I also got to try Caipirinha, which is like a sweet margarita-type drink (and yes it has alcohol).

One of the great things about being right by the beach is the fresh seafood. I got to try some of the fresh fried cod with minty rice and potatoes.

One of Brazil’s traditional-style of eating is quite different than ours here in the US. We had gone to a restaurant that was 30 blocks from our hotel walking, which was a bit tiring, but all worth it. The restaurant is called Carretão and it is like a buffet, except you only get side dishes. The waiters serve the main course, or the meats and proteins, to your table. The waiters cut the meat right to your plate only if you have a green little circle (if the card is facing the other side and is red, that means you don’t want any). From what I remember they served turkey hearts, octopus, rabbit, some bird from Peru, pork, beef, and deer. It was a little bit shocking at first, but the beef was delicious.

Needless to say, I did not try the turkey hearts.

Next time you are in Brazil definitely consider visiting these places and eating these foods!

 

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Pesticides

As we all know, pesticides for our foods have always been a problem and are becoming an even bigger problem now that there are more inventions and chemicals to use. I decided to do some research and I found that pesticides are used in enormous amounts all over the US and other countries around the world. I found that usually all of the pesticides used in farms usually do not show up in tests. This is weird because we are supposed to be getting the best and most fresh products. According to PAN North America, even after all the chemical testing, 93% of people in the US came out to have a neurotoxic insecticide in their urine. This is outrageous because this chemical was originally banned for use in homes because it was to risky for anyone, especially children. In addition, I read that 99% of women had been tested positive for DDT. This is the chemical that pretty much endangers women everywhere by increasing their risk by 5 times of getting breast cancer. This is terrible; no one wants cancer! It’s hard to say what fruit has what chemicals or what vegetable underwent what process. That’s why this is a big problem in today’s society because we need these pesticides, as dangerous s they are, to increase production and the quality of the foods.

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France

I went to France in 2012. I took a ferry from Cork, Ireland to The northern part of France. The number one place to visit would be the D-day beaches. It’s a bit sad, yet intriguing to see all the destruction there was. It’s also really peaceful, of course now that the war is over. It is actually a bit depressing as well because there were so many people killed. There are tons of giant craters everywhere from the bombs also.

Aside from this, if any of you ever get the chance, it is pretty neat to go visit Rouen, where Joan of Ark was burned at the stakes.

And of course, there is Paris. In Paris there is an infinite amount of things to do. I have reduced the giant list and picked the top places I think everyone should visit if you every get a chance. First: the Louvre museum. This is one of the biggest museums in the world and holds some of the best art from all over the world including the original Mona Lisa. You probably won’t get through the entire museum in one day, so I’d plan for another day. Another thing to go visit in Paris would be the Le Pont de l’amour (the love bridge). This bridge has so many locks on the fence, which is actually pretty neat. As tradition says, when a couple is serious and truly in love they make a promise and put their locks on this bridge. Then, the couple throws the keys into the Seine and hopes for eternal love (I know, so romantically corny.)

Next on the list is the Notre Dame Cathedral. This beautiful cathedral is enormous. It is said that it took hundreds of years to finish, but some people say it is not finished due to some of the towers not having points. It is said also that there are scary gargoyles on the church to scare off the evil spirits. And lastly, everyone should get a chance to visit the Eiffel Tower. It is gigantic in size and truly frightening once you get to the very top. It’s even scarier when it’s negative 3 degrees outside and extremely windy, trust me.

Now the French truly have a way with food. I tried to narrow down my choices and came up with one: a cheese French baklava. If you have ever had a baklava it was probably a sweet one. This baklava was absolutely amazing. It was super flaky, better than a croissant, and had goat cheese mixed with gouda in it. I had it at a restaurant called Hippotame on Rue Lagrange. If you ever have a chance, YOU MUST GO!

P.S. Don’t forget to visit the candy shops, and don’t forget to take your wallet with you because it’s all handmade!

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