Category Archives: Elsewhere

Quaker cheese

Posted on 2 Jul 2014 by lornaofarabia

Before tourism took off in this region, the most profitable industry was cheesemaking and the biggest employer was the Monteverde cheese factory. This morning we took a tour of the factory. Unfortunately the particular varieties they were making today didn’t … Continue reading →

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Tantos arboles y yo sin frenos

Posted on 1 Jul 2014 by lornaofarabia

One of the most popular touristy things to do around Monteverde is the zip line “canopy tour” of the rainforest. Many of you readers are probably old hands at the zipline thing, but this was our first time out. I … Continue reading →

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Just like we imagined it

Posted on 30 Jun 2014 by lornaofarabia

When my son Nik was in middle school, I helped him build a rainforest diorama for a science project. We fashioned exotic vine-draped trees out of dowels and clay and string and covered them with lots of hobby store moss. … Continue reading →

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Monteverde

Posted on 29 Jun 2014 by lornaofarabia

After two nights in San José we took a bus up to Monteverde. This small town on the edge of the rainforest makes a good base for sampling a variety of tourist attractions. We went to the frog habitat and … Continue reading →

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San José

Posted on 26 Jun 2014 by lornaofarabia

Now the real travels begin. This year’s summer vacation destination: Central America. Our Lonely Planet guidebook didn’t have much good to say about Costa Rica’s capital city of San José. In a lot of ways it looked and felt like … Continue reading →

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Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Posted on 18 Apr 2014 by lornaofarabia

Our daughter Alice might have thought she was getting a bargain when we went overseas and she moved into the big old house. But then about a month into her residency, the kitchen caught fire and the whole first floor … Continue reading →

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Don’t go there

Posted on 8 Apr 2014 by lornaofarabia

One of the most frustrating things about our Damascus experience was having our movements restricted. Of course it was (sometimes) for our own good, but coming straight from America we were simply not used to that. I studied up on … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere, Sarajevo, Syria | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

College spring break

Posted on 3 Apr 2014 by lornaofarabia

You know the kind of vacation where you’re more worn out when you get home than when you left? That’s the kind we just had. But it was productive. Alekka has a much better idea now of which schools she … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere, Family | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

They grow up so fast

Posted on 20 Mar 2014 by lornaofarabia

Our baby celebrated her 17th birthday a couple of weeks ago. It’s an interesting age. I think Billy Collins captures it precisely in “To My Favorite 17-Year-Old High School Girl.” It’s hard to accept that in just over a year she’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere, Family | Tagged | 1 Comment

Solidarity forever

Posted on 24 Feb 2014 by lornaofarabia

When the union’s inspiration through the workers’ blood shall run, There can be no power greater anywhere beneath the sun; Yet what force on earth is weaker than the feeble strength of one, But the union makes us strong.           … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments