Last weekend was a break from my usual routine of hiking and nature photography. In fact, the weekend flew by without an official hike for me to photo and blog about. I took off for Colonial Park in Franklin Township, NJ after work on Friday to snap a few pictures of the abundant flowers in bloom.
It was a great weekend! An excessive amount of travel time (which really ate up the weekend - another reason why I always try to hike locally) was the main thing holding me back from hitting a park. On Saturday I traveled to Montclair, which is about 2 hours away, one way (the way I drive). My goal was the Afro-Brazilian Cultural Center (or ABCC) on Bloomfield Avenue. This is a second floor suite which houses a Capoeira (Brazilian martial arts) studio, an office and changing area. On this particular Saturday Audie, a highly talented bellydance instructor, held a wonderful workshop on Baladi dance technique from 12:30-3pm. I had a great time, but after driving and dancing had taken its toll, I was ready to kick back and relax out of the heat until bedtime.
On Sunday, another perfect sunny day, I was priveledged to see Ringling Brother's and Barnum and Bailey's show entitled Funundrum. Playing in Trenton New Jersey for one week only at the Sun National Bank Center, the performers were all very impressive. I had happy memories of smaller (cheaper) shows as a child and I was eager to feel the magic again. Unfortunatley, some PETA member cast a pall over the show - protesters doted every corner around block with some inbetween. They carried large posters showing the usual, grainy, shocking pictures claiming the elephants were enslaved and brutally treated by the circus. While I never buy one-sided arguements, I spent the whole show worrying that the glamorous image the circus performers projected was an illusion sold to children at exhorbitant ticket prices. Do circus performers have health insurance? Even during the recession we're in?
And what about the animals? Plainly a trained tiger or packaderm is a valuable animal - but is their value high enough to buy them a good home when they are too old to perform? I am somewhat softhearted and I am afraid to be assaulted by lurid images if I research the above on the internet. I will stick with the child-like dream that they all live happily ever after. Science can tell us what and how, but not why and wherefore.
I am leaving the house now to head out on another hiking trip. See you on the trail!
