Top Ten Wednesday (TTW) - The First Ten Countries to Obtain Their Independence in this Continent

Since we are about to celebrate the 237th anniversary of the U.S.A. independence I thought that an appropriate subject could be countries who became independent after the U.S.A.

I am not a historian and clearly no expert in independence subjects… I can only imagine the strength of the desire to be free and become a sovereignty that people go to war, kill each other, and so at the end of the day the rest of us get to belong to the newly formed country.

Here is the list of the first ten countries in the American continent that became free. This time the order is from first to last one based on the declaration of the first independence date (some countries became colonies after the independence from the conqueror country).

1. United States

Independence was declared on July 4th 1776. Main figures in this event: George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Capital: Washington, District of Columbia.

2. Haiti

Independence was declared on January 1st 1804. Main figures in this event: Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Toussaint Louvertoure. Capital : Port-au-Prince.

3. Ecuador

Independence was declared on August 10th 1809 lead by Antonio Jose de Sucre. Capital: Quito.

4. Argentina

Independence was declared on May 25th 1810 lead by Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar. Capital: Buenos Aires.

5. Colombia

Independence was declared on July 20th 1810. Main figures in this event: Simon Bolivar and Francisco de Paula Santander. Capital: Bogota.

6. Mexico

Independence was declared on September 16th 1810 lead by priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Capital: Mexico City.

7. Paraguay

Independence was declared on May 14th 1811. It seems that there was no one leader but a series of events that resulted in Paraguay becoming independent from Spain. Capital: Asuncion.

8. Venezuela

Independence was declared on July 5th 1811 lead by Francisco de Miranda and Simon Bolivar. Capital: Caracas.

9. Chile

Independence was declared on February 12th 1818. Main figures in this event: the Carrera brothers (Jose Miguel, Juan Jose, and Luis), and Bernardo O’Higgins. Capital: Santiago.

10. Peru

Independence declared on July 28th 1821 lead by Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar. Capital: Lima.

Top Ten Wednesday (TTW) - Characters I could not stand

Inevitably, good stories and novels have characters who rub our skin the wrong way. Paradoxically, this talks well of the writer as it means that he/she was capable of strongly bringing to life strong personalities even if the readers could not stand them.

Not all unpopular characters are the villain in the narration. Lastly, it is a matter of personal taste. I particularly do not like senseless or unscrupulous ones… and then there are those that no matter what they do or say I just cannot bring myself to enjoy.

As always the order is only numeric and not by level of dislike.

1. Dolores Umbridge – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Dolores Umbridge was one of the few characters that I disliked as soon as she appeared in the story. Starting with her physical appearance and ending with her malicious personality. Even as a write this post, I feel as if someone is scratching the blackboard with nails…

2. Nils Bjurman – Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. 

Nils Bjurman is the typical man who would take advantage not only of a woman but of a defenseless individual. He also had so much anger stored inside that it inevitably came out in the worst possible way. I imagined him drooling like those mad people or animals that cannot contain themselves. I could not help the strong desire to hit him or kill him.

3. Bella – Twilight Saga.

When Bella met Edward that first day at school she thought he was one of the most handsome guys. She could not help wondering why he would fall for her. I can understand that any teenager would feel this way at the beginning but not for such a long time. Bella felt inferior to Edward. Also, Bella gave Jacob mixed signals about her feelings for him. My friend L warned me about it; I just did not think it would be at that level. I had to take several deep breaths while reading the story.

4. Nadine Karros – The Litigators.

Nadine Karros was the litigator lawyer hired to fight the class lawsuit presented against Nadine’s client, a powerful pharmaceutical company. She embodied that rare breed of women who have it all: she was beautiful, successful, rich, and to make matters worse, fit… I think I need to say no more.

5. Amina Mazid – The Newlyweds.

Amina married an American man to escape her native Bangladesh. What bothered me was the fact that the reasons for the marriage were not clear for him – he thought Amina was in love with him. For this reason I could not connect with Amina. It was almost impossible to feel sorry for her and her family. Maybe it did not help that I did not like the book that much either.

6. Vladimir Girshkin – The Russian Debutante’s Handbook.

Vladimir was a mama’s boy who was tired with his life, his work, even with his girlfriend. He was never able to stand up to his mother. Even when he decided to do something rash and go to Eastern Europe to help a gangster setup an illegal scheme he could not escape his lukewarm manner of acting in life. It was easier to be on the gangster side than on Vladimir’s.

7. Margaret Beaufort – The Red Queen.

Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII king of England, cruelly fought for his son’s throne. She did not rest until her son was put on the throne, and did not spare the life of anyone, including young boys, that could be obstacles to her mission… and all the while praying to the Virgin Mary for the life of those she loved.

8. Andrew – Little Bee.

I have to admit that my dislike for this character is somewhat ambivalent. Andrew was comfortable in his English lifestyle, apathetic to his wife’s struggles and desires. In an effort to reignite their marriage, Andrew and Sarah, his wife, went to Nigeria where they first encountered Little Bee. At that moment both Sarah and Andrew were in front of a very real life situation. Sarah did what she thought was best while Andrew could not shake off the status quo.

9. Stephen – Eat Pray Love.

I know Stephen is not a character in the traditional sense of the word as he is someone who exists in real life. His behavior is fitted for a novel, though. It was especially disturbing and annoying when he referred to himself in the third person. When a kid does it, it is cute; when an adult does it, it is creepy.

10. Florentino Ariza – Love in the Time of Cholera.

Florentino Ariza is the quintessential character who is stuck in the same time and place pursuing an illusion and an impossible love. In modern times he would be the incarnation of a man with an avoidant attachment style – nothing more noncommittal than to fall in love with someone in a difficult situation to correspond that love. Tenacity is a good quality, but at some point one has to move on, and walk on a different path. In my friend K’s words “Dude, move on!” 

Top Ten Wednesday (TTW) - Books that made me lose my time

1. Twilight Saga

I have to admit that all four books are entertaining but they provide nothing more than knowledge about vampires and werewolves. Also, Bella’s self-esteem is mostly absent giving female readers yet another reason to feel insecure… just saying.

2. Breakfast with Buddha

This book is a pseudo Buddhist book. If the reader has never heard of Bhudda it could be an easy and entertaining introduction. The novel is somewhat engaging and can only be helpful if you are planning a road trip from New York to somewhere in the Midwest and would like to know some of the restaurants on the way.

3. The Great Gatsby

I know this is one of the classics of American literature but honestly I tried to see what the point of the story was and I could not. I did not go to high school in the states – maybe it was explained in the English class – but other than the luxurious life of Gatsby, the bad event, and the fact that he got away with it, the novel did not provide much else for me.

4. The Newlyweds

I was drawn to this book because the story was about a mixed couple – an American man and a woman from Bangladesh. I am in a mixed relationship myself so I was hoping to connect with the story immediately. Well, I was wrong. Their marriage was strange – it was not arranged but it seemed that it was not for love either. The writer portrayed the Bangladeshi woman as opportunistic and the man as someone with no feelings. There was an unexpected twist but it was so bizarre that in my humble opinion it did not fit in the story.

5. One Minute Millionaire

The intention of this book is supposedly to help the rest of us become millionaires. Although some of the tips may be useful most of them are very hard to apply. Also the writer tries to appeal to those readers who use their right-side of the brain with the same message in the shape of a story… I do not want to be impolite, let’s just say I’m glad a left-sided brainy.

6. Acres of Diamonds

Suffice to say that this was a complete waste of money and time. The positive? It was a short book.

7. The Sea Wolf 

This one is supposed to be another classic. This one is about a tyrannical boat captain on a voyage from San Francisco to China. I guess the only thing one can learn from this book is how evil a man with power could be.

8. As a Man Thinketh

As in Acres of Diamond, reading this book was a waste of time and money. It is also a short book so the damage was not too big.

9. Russian’s Debutante Handbook

I read this book recently. The story was not engaging and I kept reading with the hope that something would happen. Well there was brief action towards the end of the book. It was not worth the wait and time.

10. The Worlds I Love (Los Mundos que Amo)

This is some interplanetary story with which I could not connect. Maybe readers who like science fiction may enjoy it… it was not my cup of tea.

Top Ten Wednesday - Places to go in the Americas

This week we will talk about places to visit. As many of you know one of my passions is to travel. I am a curious person by nature and I am very interested in seeing other places, getting to know the culture, the food, the people, some of the history… and of course to capture all that in pictures.

For this week TTW I would like to present to you the top ten places you can’t miss in the Americas. These are the classic ones like New York City – I think is always good to have a refresher. Since this is based on my personal experience, I would love to have your comments and/or suggestions I may have missed or don’t know yet to add to the list. This time, the order would be from North to South.

1. Alaska, U.S.

Alaska is one of those places where nature is at its best at least in the summer. I recommend doing this voyage at least once in a lifetime. There are so many parks, natural habitats, and fauna to see… do not miss a whale watching tour and a ride on a dog sledge. These experiences are unique especially for people who come from places closer to the tropics.

2. Niagara Falls, Canada

In my humble opinion, it is important to visit Niagara Falls at least once in a lifetime. It is one of those natural wonders that can be stared for hours and still be amazed. Once there, close your eyes and just listen to the power of the falls as the water crashes against the rocks. The boat ride is a must; it may be the closest one can get to the cataracts safely. Whether you go to the American or Canadian sides, it is a unique experience everyone should have.

3. New York City, U.S.

NYC is an overwhelming city. Every time I go, I get the sensation of having so many options and things to do that I don’t know where to start. Of course, for the first time it is necessary to do most of the touristy activities like Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the museums, Central Park, Broadway, and Times Square. For the subsequent visits one can take the path less traveled and see NYC from the perspective of the locals. I have been lucky enough to have experienced both tourist and local visits.

4. Chicago, U.S.

I can only talk about Chicago in the summer. What a pleasure to walk admiring the buildings, Millennium Park, the river, and the lake! There is so much to see in this city starting with a must architectural tour on the river or lake or both. Do not miss Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, the art on the street, and if in the mood, a couple of rooftop parties famous during the summer. There are usually free concerts both in the park and in the CCC. People are usually very nice and polite, more so than in other big cities.

5. San Francisco, U.S.

San Francisco is one of the favorite spots for honeymooners. Although I did not go to San Francisco under this category, I can fully understand why. It is a romantic city with the great combination of mountains, ocean, and architecture.

6. Mexico City, Mexico

There are so many sights and activities to do in Mexico City… Located at 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level, Mexico City houses art jewels like the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Government Palace with Pedro Rivera paintings, and one of the most complete and biggest museums I have visited: the National Museum of Anthropology. A curious note is that Mexico had an emperor and empress, Maximilian (from Austria) and Charlotte (of Belgium) from 1864 to 1867. Their palace is a must sight to visit in the Chapultepec park. Outside of the city there are other interesting attractions such as Frieda Kahlo’s Blue House, and the Teotihuacan ruins.

7. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

One of the most visited beaches in the Caribbean, Punta Cana is a must for those who prefer calm sea, and drinks, good food, and parties in the hotels. A beach vacation, especially in an all-inclusive hotel, is a non-hassle activity ideal to rest, recharge, and completely disconnect. The water in the beach in Punta Cana is usually warm, clean, and inviting. At night, I especially enjoyed seating on the beach and listening to the waves… very calming.

8. Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu was voted one of the Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. This site is overtaking. The combination of the imperial city with the Andes creates an effect that is overwhelming for the visitor. There are many activities around the site such as a guided tour of the ruins, a hike to the Wayna Picchu, and a several-day hike of the Inca trail. I only visited the ruins and it was an amazing experience.

9. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro has a something for everyone. For the soccer fans there is the visit to the Maracana Soccer Stadium where you could see the famous soccer player footprints such as Pele’s, Ronaldo’s, and Kaka’s. Those who prefer the carnaval there is the Sambadrome Marques de Sapucai where the parade of the different samba schools take place during carnaval in Rio. Of course, the main attractions are Pao de Acucar (Sugar Loaf), the beaches (Ipanema and Copacabana), and the Christ, among others. It is worth the visit.

10. Patagonia, Chile

Contrary to Alaska, when I arrived in Patagonia, I had the instant feeling of being at the end of the world. Since there is less infrastructure than in Alaska it is more difficult and probably more expensive to reach to the Patagonia region. I visited the Chilean side but in my opinion this region, whether on Argentina or Chile, is worth the visit. In my experience this is the ultimate communion with nature. It is not an inviting landscape but I particularly got the feeling of being special, one of the few, and at peace. Guides in the region emphasize the importance of protecting the environment and certain activities like salmon fishing is done with the least harm to the environment as possible (e.g. catch and release). Do not miss a trip to the glaciers and to see the Magellanic penguins.