February 16, 2024

Overview for this week.

1. Just a reminder that this Monday is Presidents' Day, so banks, government offices and most public schools will be closed.

2. I received an update on artist Calley O'Neill's own newsletter on her Kona Airport Mural that we've been following here. Her newsletter gave an in depth, behind-the scenes look at just what is involved in such an ambitious project. I highly recommend you subscribe.

3. We are starting a new series following the travels of another pair of Flock Adventurers, Anne & Darius Pirzadeh, as they travel around South America. Much of their voyage will be aboard ship, so we're expecting communication to be sporadic.

4. We have featured, and I have personally been to many UNESCO World Heritage sites, So I wanted to give a little background on what UNESCO is and revisit some of the sites we've visited here.

5. The Lavaman Triathlon on the Big Island of Hawaii is coming up on April 7th, so it's time to register and get your plans together if you want to participate in this year's race. I don't think I've missed one since the very first year.

6. In wellness we look at the pros and cons of the popular 80/20 diet.

7. I'm changing things up a little in the Book Corner this week and looking at some magazines that I personally recommend.

8. We had some very sad news this week and lost the current marathon world record-holder, Kenyan superstar Kelvin Kiptum, to a car accident. We hold him and his family in our prayers.

9. This is about your last chance to attend the Eller School of Dance Scholoarship Benefit that runs from 6:15 to 9:30 pm MST tonight.

10. In closing we have some beautiful culinary art from Cita Scott, Flock contributor, photographer, artist, and mother of William George, the Flock's favorite investigative/roving journalist.

Now, to this week's Flock.

Presidents' Day is coming up this Monday, February 19th. Presidents' Day is officially observed as Washington's Birthday by the federal government and is observed on the third Monday of February. George Washington's actual birthday will be next Thursday, February 22nd. Since Abraham Lincoln's birthday is also in February, falling on the 12th, most states honor the two presidents together as one holiday: Presidents' Day.

The Big Island of Hawai'i artist Calley O'Neill is one of our favorite artists here at The Flock. We first featured Calley in our sixth issue. We've been following the progress of Calley's Kona Airport Mālama ʻĀina Mural, a 300 foot long mural at the Kona Airport that comprises eight 12' by 40' walls that incorporate backgrounds painted with petrochemical free 100-year Beek mineral paint, and stained glass mosaic portraits created from locally-sourced lava, and recycled bottle glass. Since we last peeked in on her progress this past August, the project has come a long way. 

I recently received the latest issue of Calley's newsletter where she shares the behind-the-scenes story of the process, teamwork, planning, and artistry that goes into completing a public artwork of this scale. Here are some highlights below:

Calley does all of her drawings freehand, and it takes days just to number and refine the mosaic pieces.

Lamar, Kathleen, and Lorraine make a terrific team. Lamar cuts each piece, Lorraine grinds them, and Kathleen puzzles the pieces.

A recent photo of the eight panels in progress.

photo: Thomas Holguin.

A decorative public garden next to the Cable Car station at Mt. Monserrate in Bogotá, Colombia.

This week we are beginning a new travelogue following Flock readers, Anne and Darius Pirzadeh. The Pirzadehs have been kind enough to share photos from their travels through South America and Antarctica. Much of their travels will be aboard ship as their voyage will take them around Cape Horn and through the Drake Passage. Traveling at sea poses its own challenges with communications and internet access, which are only compounded by the harsh seas of the Southern Ocean. Updates may be sporadic and we will post them as we receive them. This week’s installment includes photos from their visit to Bogotá, Columbia.

Touring the Hacienda Coloma coffee farm outside Bogotá. The Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

La Candelaria, founded in 1538, is the oldest neighborhood and the historic center of Bogotá, Colombia.

The Catedral Primada de Colombia, located in the Plaza de Bolivar in Bogotá's La Candelaria neighborhood, is the seat of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bogotá and Primate of Colombia. It was built between 1807 and 1823 in the same place where three other temples were previously built that successively served as cathedrals for the city.

The main chapel in the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, a Roman Catholic church carved out of the tunnels of a salt mine 660 feet underground.

One of many hand-carved sculptures in the Salt Cathedral.

A side chapel in the Salt Cathedral.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

From: UNESCO World Heritage Convention

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.

World Heritage explained - animated short about the UNESCO World Heritage Convention

Paging through The Flock archives, you will find that we have featured many UNESCO World Heritage sites. A sampling of those articles is listed below:

Lalibela, Ethiopia

May 27, 2022

The 11 medieval monolithic cave churches of this 13th-century 'New Jerusalem' are situated in a mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia near a traditional village with circular-shaped dwellings. Lalibela is a high place of Ethiopian Christianity, still today a place of pilgrimage and devotion for Coptic Christians.

Taj Mahal

November 25, 2022

An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, the Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.

Elora Caves

November 25, 2022

These 34 monasteries and temples, extending over more than 2 km, were dug side by side in the wall of a high basalt cliff, not far from Aurangabad, in Maharashtra. Ellora, with its uninterrupted sequence of monuments dating from A.D. 600 to 1000, brings the civilization of ancient India to life.

Thar Desert

November 11, 2022

The Thar Desert in north-western India is a unique and the only habitat of its type in the Indian subcontinent. The Aravalli hills mark the eastern-most boundary limit of the Thar desert while the western limit is defined by the fertile plains of the Indus.

Machu Pichu

June 10, 2022

Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.

Ephesus

June 23, 2023

Located within what was once the estuary of the River Kaystros, Ephesus comprises successive Hellenistic and Roman settlements founded on new locations, which followed the coastline as it retreated westward. Excavations have revealed grand monuments of the Roman Imperial period including the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre.

Mauna Kea: Humu'ula Trail

August 4, 2023

Superlatives abound when describing Mauna Kea: the highest mountain in the Pacific Rim; the tallest sea mountain in the world, rising 33,000 feet from the ocean floor; the highest lake in the Pacific Rim and the only alpine lake in Hawai’i; the highest mountain in the state of Hawai’i and the Big Island. Mauna Kea, literally white mountain, is actually a shortened version of Mauna a Wakea, which links the mountain to the sky god Wakea.

The Lavaman is run in the honor of the memory of beloved Kona bike mechanic Nick Rott and his late wife Gerry. Nick’s life was tragically cut short by a collision with a motorist during a training ride in 1994. Gerry took the responsibility of organizing the race until her unfortunate passing in 2022. I've competed in most of them since the very beginning. I used to be my own coach, but lately I’ve been training under the guidance of the infamous triathlete Lisa Becharas. It helps so much to have someone in your corner that you trust guiding you. Right now, I’m getting my team together. My son Mikey G. may even do the swim for us.

From: Lavaman Triathlon

Lavaman takes place on the spectacular island of Hawai'i. Swim in beautiful Anaeho'omalu Bay, ride through the lava fields on the iconic Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway and run through Waikoloa resort, finishing on the beach. 

Lavaman has been voted “Best Awards Party in Triathlon” ~ Beer Garden, Live Music, Beach BBQ under the coconut grove at beautiful Anaeho’omalu Bay. We will have some special 25th anniversary items for all athletes.

New for 2024, we are offering a duathlon option. In lieu of the swim, Duathletes will run an out and back 3k starting and finishing at transition.

Register now before we reach capacity! 

For those in the know, the best triathlon held on the island each year is not the Ironman or its derivatives but the LavaMan; a boutique, kama aina, no ka oi event produced by Nick’s widow, Gerry. At the event you can see soon-to-be famous musicians such as Jim Major playing at the awards with their race numbers still written on their arms and legs.

--Hall of Fame Triathlete Tim Scott

From: EatingWell, By: Elizabeth Shaw, M.S., RDN, CPT, January 6, 2024

Data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows 17.1% of U.S. adults are following a specific diet and nearly half of adult Americans (49.1%) are attempting to lose weight. Given the popularity of restrictive and weight-loss-focused eating plans, it’s likely that trending diets are on your radar if you're interested in losing weight. 

The 80/20 diet is a popular way of eating that appears to be resurfacing thanks to its flexibility and ease. But, is it right for you? We’ve talked to nutrition experts to get the details on what you need to know and who should consider the 80/20 diet as part of their lifestyle. 

I'm going to change things up a little in this week's Book Corner and recommend some magazines that I personally enjoy.

Archaeology is a bimonthly magazine for the general public, published by the Archaeological Institute of America. 

Smithsonian is a science and nature magazine, and is the official journal published by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., although editorially independent from its parent organization.

National Geographic was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine months after the establishment of the society. The popular magazine has become well-known for its exceptional photography. National Geographic also has special targeted subscriptions including Nat Geo History, Nat Geo Kids, and Nat Geo Little Kids as well as special limited run publications.

I was so sad when I heard this news, Kelvin Kiptum was so young and had such a promising future ahead of him.

From: ABC News, By: Tom Odula, february 11, 2024

Marathon world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum, who was set to be a superstar of long-distance running and was a top contender for gold at the Olympics in Paris this year, was killed along with his coach in a car crash in Kenya.

Their vehicle was the only one involved in the crash late Sunday and Kiptum was driving when it veered off a road and into a ditch before hitting a tree, police said.

Kenya's Kiptum was 24 and one of the most exciting prospects to emerge in road running in years, having broken the world record in only his third appearance in an elite marathon. His record, set at last year's Chicago Marathon, was ratified by international track federation World Athletics just last week.

His death reverberated through Kenya, where runners are the biggest sports stars.

"He was only 24, Kiptum was our future.”

--Kenyan President William Ruto

Just a reminder that the Eller School of Dance Scholarship Benefit 2024 is tonight from 6:15 to 9:30 pm MST. The benefit features performances from the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Maurice Chestnut, Ballet Tucson, the UA School of Dance Ensemble, and special guest Misty Copeland. Act fast, and get your tickets now, before this performance sells out!

Here we have some beautiful culinary art from Cita Scott, mother of William George, the Flocks favorite investigative/roving journalist.

A Reminder to The Flock

These Flock regulars are always here for you:

• Dr. Hayward M. Fox, Ph. D. and The Institute of Personal and Transpersonal Knowledge
• Kimberly Gomer of Body Beautiful Miami 

In Coming weeks, we'll be hearing more from our roving reporter William George.

Don't Be Shy: Share Your Stories!

I'm looking forward to sharing more of your personal stories - oral, written, or otherwise, as we enter our second year. I'd so love to present them to The Flock, hit a mailbox below to share your story.

Holualoa Ed Fit Wellness & Culture 2

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