Gallic Rooster

Snapshot of a rooster on top of an obelisk at Plaza de Francia, erected to honor the French workers of the Panama Canal which began their titanic endeavor on January 1, 1880. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

The rooster is the unofficial symbol of France.  The relationship between a rooster and France dates back to the Middle Ages due to the play on words in Latin between Gallus, meaning an inhabitant of Gaul, and gallus, meaning rooster, or cockerel.

The Gallic rooster, colloquially named Chanteclair, had been a national emblem ever since, especially during the Third French Republic. The rooster was featured on the reverse of French 20-franc gold pieces from 1899 to 1914. After World War I it was depicted on uncountable war memorials.

A rooster can be observed on the garden gate of the Palais de l’Elysée in Paris, the official residence of the President of the French Republic.

This obelisk is one of the main tourist attractions of the old section of Panama City, known as Casco Viejo.  Good Day.

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Perspective: Towards a Vanishing Point

Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

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A Building With a Gracious Dome in Casco Viejo

Snapshot of an edifice with an eye-catching dome in the old shell of Panama City. This area is called “Las Bóvedas” beside the Pacific Ocean at the entrance of the Panama Canal. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Incidently I’m presently enjoying a book—Brunelleschi’s Dome: The Story of the Great Cathedral in Florence, authored by Ross King—about the construction of a cavernous dome in Florence for the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore built by Filippo Brunelleschi in 1436.  A replacement for the ancient and dilapidated church of Santa Reparata, the new cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore was intended to be one of the largest in Christendom.

The foundation stone for the new cathedral had been laid in 1296.  The designer and original architect was a master mason named Arnolfo di Cambio, the builder of both the Palazzo Vecchio and the city’s massive new fortifications.  The designer of the large dome was the Capomaestri Neri di Fioravanti who refused to use flying buttresses to support the walls of the cathedral for political reasons.  He hated French and German architects who commonly used these supporting structures.

The decision to adopt Neri di Fioravanti’s design represents a remarkable leap of faith.  No dome approaching this span had been built since Antiquity, and with a mean diameter of 143 feet and 6 inches, it would exceed that of even the Roman Pantheon, which for over a thousand years had been the world’s largest dome by far.  And the cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore would not only be the widest vault ever built: it would also be the highest.

Of course our building pales in comparison with the great cathedral of Florence, but still it is an aesthetic edifice built during the early days of our nation.  It represents the elegance of our colonial Spanish architecture as depicted in the picture above.  Good Day.

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Getting Ready For Business

Snapshot of a young women getting ready for business at Paseo Esteban Huertas within the area of Casco Viejo in Panama City, Panama. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

This picture was taken about 07:00 a.m. on a lazy Sunday morning.  As you can see, the sales spot beside her is empty, as well as all the rest.  This woman was the only early bird this morning.

Above the walkway you can see a very popular flower in Panama which is commonly known as “Veranera“.  The proper name is Bougainvillea (pronounced buːɡɨnˈvɪliə).  Bougainvilleas are popular ornamental plants in most areas with warm climates. Locarno in Switzerland, with its mild Mediterranean climate, is famous for its bougainvilleas.

The growth rate of bougainvilleas varies from slow to rapid, depending on the variety. They tend to flower all year round in equatorial regions. Elsewhere, they are seasonal, with bloom cycles typically four to six weeks. Bougainvilleas grow best in dry soil in very bright full sun and with frequent fertilization; but they require little water once established, and in fact will not flourish if over-watered. As indoor houseplants in temperate regions, they can be kept small by bonsai techniques. They can be easily propagated via tip cuttings.

In Panama you will find this flower almost everywhere enticing the well trimmed gardens of its citizens.  Good Day.

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Photograph of a Photograph

While strolling through the Old Shell of Panama City, I happened into two enticing photographs embedded in large aluminum ads.  The images looked great and shot with great taste and style.  I guess they were to be used to promote tourism in Panama by the Tourism Authority.

I thought it would be interesting to see what would be the final result of taking a picture of a photograph; a copy of a copy so to speak.  This is what finally came out of my image experiment.  Here we go.

Snapshot of a large photograph of the “Arco Chato” of the Church of Santo Domingo in Panama’s Old Shell, a.k.a. Casco Viejo. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

The old section of Panama City, commonly known as “Casco Viejo”, was founded by Spain in 1673 after the original settlement of Panama Viejo was pillaged and torched by Welch pirate Sir Henry Morgan on January 28, 1671.  His wealth is estimated to be the equivalent of $13.9 million today.  Not bad for a buccaneer.

The Convent of Santo Domingo (shown above) was built in 1678, five years after the foundation of the old section of Panama City.  It was partly destroyed by two large fires during the XVII century.  A sturdy brick arch used to hold the wooden beams of the church is still standing.  It is known as the “arco chato”; a main attraction among the abundant monuments of Casco Viejo.

Snapshot of the picturesque photograph of a nostalgic walkway known as Paseo Esteban Huertas at Las Bóvedas in the old section of Panama City. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

Looking at the image, it’s difficult to distinguish the difference between the framed photograph and the real buildings in the background. Both are almost identical in their appearance.  The optical illusion is interesting in this picture of the city.  Good Day.

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The Old Shell of Panama City

Snapshot of the old section of Panama City known as “Casco Viejo” or Old Shell in English. The is the area where the Presidential Palace is located. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

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Church Tower With Gravitas

Snapshot of the tower of the cathedral of San Francisco de Asís situated in the old section of Panama City. It’s one of the most photographed areas of the metropolis. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

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Habanera

Snapshot of a building with gravitas which houses the Ministry of Public Security in the old section of Panama City, commonly known as “Casco Viejo” which translate to Old Shell in English. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

I decided to process this snapshot in black and white since it reminded me of Habana, Cuba; thus the title of the blog post. The city is the center of the Cuban Government, and home to various ministries, headquarters of businesses and over 90 diplomatic offices.

The name Habana could be based upon the name of a local Taíno chief Habaguanex. An alternate theory is that Habana is derived from the Middle Dutch word havene, referring to a harbor.

The hands of the clock stopped on January 1, 1959 when bearded soldiers rolled down into the city from the Sierra Maestra.   On January 8, 1959, Castro’s army entered Habana; proclaiming himself Representative of the Rebel Armed Forces of the Presidency, Castro—along with close aides and family members—set up home and office in the penthouse of the Havana Hilton Hotel, meeting with journalists, foreign visitors and government ministers.  The rest is history.

Since then, nothing has changed. We can still see 1950s Fords, Studebakers, Chevys, or DeSotos cruising through the streets of Havana.  It’s like looking at a MGM movie studio in Hollywood and stumbling into Al Pacino while he was working on the motion picture The Godfather.  Time is frozen in Cuba as well as in the old section of Panama City, Panama as these pictures eloquently express.

An invisible wall was erected by Fidel Castro and his cronies to hold Freedom hostage.  I know someday this wall will crumble down following the path of the Berlin wall in 1989.  You can bet your bird that this day will come and Cuba will again be a free country as it was meant to be.

I can almost see the gleefulness radiating on José Martí and Yoani Sánchez’s face, author of the blog Generación Y, as well as on the faces of millions and millions of free Cubans when this day finally arrives.  Free at Last! Viva Cuba Libre!  Good Day.

Original version of the photograph shown above in black and white. I’m sure you will agree me that the nostalgic spirit of Havana hovers above this scene. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

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Sitting in the Park

Snapshot of a solitary woman; alone, with her thoughts, at Paseo Esteban Huertas in Panama City’s old section known as “Casco Viejo”. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

In this picture, you can appreciate an example of perspective, so important in photography and architecture.  The lines of the walkway are wide on the foreground and seem to intersect on the background.  The same goes for the diminutive cracks on the concrete floor of the walkway.

The man who is attributed to having invented perspective is Filippo Brunelleschi.  Few men have left a legacy as monumental as Filippo Brunelleschi. He was the first modern engineer and a problem-solver with unorthodox methods. He solved one of the greatest architectural puzzles and invented his way to success. Only now is he receiving deserved recognition as the greatest architect and engineer of the Renaissance.

Using a novel technique, involving reflective material and pinholes, Brunelleschi produced an exact isometric simulation of  a nearby baptistery. By thinking outside of the box, Brunelleschi had reproduced a three-dimensional object in two dimensions. He had invented perspective.

Oh, one more thing…the woman alone in the walkway is my wife, Aura.  Good Day.

Suggested Reading:  Medici:  The Godfathers of the Renaissance—PBS.org

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The Regal Architecture of Casco Viejo

Snapshot of the regal architecture displayed in the most photographed area of Panama City. This area has been declared Patrimony of Humanity by UNESCO (World Heritage Committee) of the United Nations. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

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