martes, 27 de septiembre de 2011

Chinita's fair is almost here



The Story of Maria Cárdenas

An old lady named Maria Cárdenas made a living by washing other people's clothes, a job she did every morning at the shores of the lake. On November 18, 1709 she took a bulk of clothes, and as usual, went to the lake to start washing them. This old lady was at her chores when she saw a small wooden slab floating towards her. She picked it up thinking that it might be of some use.
When Cárdenas finished her work, she went home carrying the clothes, the wooden slab and a small vase with fresh water. She then placed the board on top of the vase, before noticing a small figure in the board but could not tell what it was. Feeling curious about this, she went directly to see what was happening and found the slab glowing with a bright light to later find the image of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá.
Surprised and filled with a strong emotion, Cárdenas immediately ran out of her house located on the 2nd avenue, screaming and shouting the words “Miracle! Miracle!” Her neighbors went where the woman was to find out that the apparition of the Virgin Mary was real. From that day on, the faith of the zulians found their Queen in the “Chinita”. As it has been expressed by many people, “She is the way that leads to Jesus”.
Since that day the street where Cárdenas lived was renamed "El Milagro" which means Miracle in Spanish, and to this day it is one of the most important streets in the neighborhood of "El Saladillo" in the city of Maracaibo. To this day the wooden slab with the image on it can still be seen in the Basilica in Maracaibo.
Legend has it that the government decided that the wood with the image belonged in the capital city, Caracas. So they ordered it moved. As the soldiers following the order carried the image away from Maracaibo it got heavier and heavier until finally no one could lift it. They returned it to the Basilica of Maracaibo where it has remained with the belief that no one can remove it.


The Wooden Slab, the Crown and the Square

Since the wooden slab depicting the image of the Virgin Mary arrived to the shores of Maracaibo 298 years ago, the Marian faith has grown exponentially. It was first taken to a small sanctuary built to honor San Juan de Dios and later, under the rule of the governor Francisco de la Roche Ferrer, a bigger chapel was erected to venerate the newly found Virgin of Chiquinquirá. The wooden slab remained in there for the next generations until the final stage of the Basilica was completed in 1858.
The wooden slab is relatively small. The dimensions are: 26 centimeters wide by 25 centimeters long with 3 millimeters deep. If you look at it, you will find the image of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus in her left arm. To her left, there is Saint Andrew holding an open book and to her right there is Saint Anthony holding a chastity lily in his right hand. The slab was restored and preserved, and 18-karat gold was engraved to magnify its beauty.
The crown weighs 10 kilograms and it was made of 18-karat gold, donated by all parishioners who had a strong devotion towards the Virgin. Its inner arch measures 27 centimeters by 44 centimeters and a number of precious stones were embedded. It is indeed one of the most highly prized relics in all of Zulia. By the time the crown was made it cost around 250 thousand Bolívars.
By the year 2004, the local government inaugurated the “Square of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá”, an open sanctuary reminiscent of the old times when the Saladillo existed. The great monument of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá is located exactly where Maria Cardenas’ house once was. The total area of the square is 30 thousand square meters whose epicenter is a 15-meter-high allegorical statue of the Virgin Mary. There are also three mirror-like fountains as well as a smaller square devoted to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of Maracaibo.


Annual Celebration

The people of Maracaibo celebrate the Chinita's fair in November with an all-night party. One of the main city avenues, Bella Vista, is closed for several blocks and the city puts lights along the whole avenue. The lights stay up for months, until after Christmas. There are stages set up, sponsored by the government and businesses around the city. There are firework shows and street vendors, and hundreds of thousands of people line the streets and celebrate all night.
The Chinita’s fair officially begins on October 27th when the Virgin is taken down from the altar in which she rests. She tours all over the Zulia State and returns to the Basilica to start all the religious festivities. Around October 2nd, Bella Vista Avenue sees itself lit up by all the Christmas decorations and the local government promotes a series of public concerts with national and international artists to begin the “real” fair. Crowds of people flock together to the different stages or platforms devised to house such concerts.
Other cultural activities are held during the fair. Expo-Zulia is a temporary marketplace where the zulians show a great deal products that characterize our region. Many merchants, stores, companies and artisans offer their products at reasonably low prices. The Bullfights are also popular and a number of these are held in our bullring. The “Toros coleados” is another event that people don’t usually miss. Many “gaiteros” gather in front of the basilica to sing their best gaitas to please the patron virgin of our people putting an end to the “gaita season”.


The 17th and 18th of November

The last two days of the Chinita’s fair are the most special ones. It is during these days when all the great parties around the city are held. By the afternoon of the 17th, many people enjoy the multiple concerts and gaita bands that sing in the different pubs, clubs and discos of our city. The party begins on the 17th and lasts way into the wee hours of the 18th, having fun in the “Gaitero Daybreak”. A lot of people usually go to the Chinita’s baseball game right after this traditional party and to the “Toros coleados” in the afternoon.




Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. 


Maryoli Cardozo :)

SCHEDULE OF THE WHOLE WEEK

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday


 9:00 am class 




4:00 pm
I do exercise in the gym




9:00am Englishman's classes



4:00pm I do exercise in the gym





4:00 classs dance


5:30 sleeping

9:00 To eat chicken


 07:00am
 Class


2:00pm sleeping


6:00 I do exercise in the gym


 07:00am
Class


4:00 I study



6:00pm
 class dance
2:00 pm
Course of juridical assistant




11:00pm
party with friends





I spend time with my family







Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.





this is my blog.


Hi, there .. Welcome to my blog. I made it for my English Level 2 class.

My name is Maryoli Cardozo,I'm from Ciudad Ojeda, Venezuela. I’m 17 years old and I study Law at URBE.

I like going to shoping and  I love music,talking on the phonewith my friends, pizza , chocolate, my family , my country  and my dog. I like cartoons specially SpongeBob Squarepants and Garfield, read, watch tv, spend time with my family and friends. I hate super hot food, Hypocrisy,That ignore me, injustice, and the president :/



My dream is to travel around the world, visit the Rio de Janeiro in Brasil. Of course, I want to graduate. About English, I love to learn new languages. I think English is very important. I hope I can make a lot of friends and practice speaking in this class.




Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

sábado, 25 de junio de 2011

daily routine

Every day I get up in 4:00AM, am going to take a shower and dress for the day.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I go out of my house at 4:45AM and the transport happens for my that leads me to the university, the walk is very long, at 11:00AM in general it finishes my last class and I can return to my house. In the same transport that led me to the university.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On having come to my house at about 1:30PM as the lunch. After this I take a bath.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After taking a bath, I take a siesta since I am very tired, then I get up and enlist to go to the gym.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On having come from the gym as at about 7:30PM, I hope that my mother does the dinner, then I take my last bath of the day.
 









To finish my day I dress to sleep, study for the following day and then I go to bed to sleeping.












This one is my day.


 
 
 
 
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. 


Maryoli Cardozo :)

comments two song


These are my opinions of two video:
Price Tag

  • Money can't buy us happiness.. The money buys the happiness only awhile.
  • Everything does not treat itself about money.
  • The money must not control our lives.
  • Many persons realize things for money, sacrifice his happiness, the love, etc. Only for having what they wish.
  • The material thing and the alone money is of luxury, only it must be important your health to you and to have the necessary thing to live.






Billonaire
  • Excellent song
  • He speaks about a boy who wants to be a billionaire, who of all the money dreams of helping the people.
  • It wants that no person around it returns to spend hunger
  • It wants to see that the persons are happy
  • To give him the tastes that he wishes, in a healthy way





Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. 


Maryoli Cardozo :)
Edgar Cardozo
By: Maryoli Cardozo

Edgar
Happy, beautiful, crazy, loving, funny
 
Father of Cristina, Edgar and Maryoli

Who loves sports, her family and helping others

Who is afraid of to fail, accident and being alone

Wants to see her family happy.
 Cardozo





Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.