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Our Best Photos of 2016

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Here is our compilation of the best photographs published in The Voice of Guanacaste in 2016.

 

The images were selected by our editorial staff based on their informative value to our newspaper and aesthetic virtues.

 

The following photo series highlights the most outstanding material submitted by members of our news team and collaborating photographers, or sent to us by readers for our “Photo of the Week” section, posted each Monday on Facebook.

 

 

 

‘Pellejo de Lora,’ The History Collector

 

In this peculiar home-museum, curiosities range from millstones to hundred-year-old swords and tools used to ward off evil monkey-witches. The museum is Rafael Zúñiga’s way of expressing his love for Guanacastecan folklore.

This image originally appeared in ‘Pellejo de Lora,’ The History Collector, published July 2016

 

Author: Ariana Crespo

 

 

40 Years of Struggle: The Scars of Nemagon

 

Sully Briceño was born in Santa Cruz and migrated to the banana plantations of Palmar Sur when she was 10. There she worked washing uniforms and cleaning pesticide pumps without gloves or any other form of protection, she says. Twenty-five years later, she returned to Guanacaste with ailments and pain that grew worse over the past decade. She was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago, and still doesn’t know if she has completely recovered. She also has diabetes, fungi in her fingernails and toenails, swollen feet and a swollen stomach, and she can’t walk due to the pain of standing up. The National Insurance Institute, or INS, gave her an indemnification of ¢1.9 million.

 

This image originally appeared in 40 Years of Struggle: The Scars of Nemagon, published November 2016

 

 

Author: Ariana Crespo

 

 

Love for Animals

 

 

 

According to Ester Pomareda, biologist at the Las Pumas Center, sometimes the big cats that live in the sanctuary feel stressed and she puts out a perfumed painting that relaxes them. The pheromones from Chanel No 5 perfume and the colorful paints impel these cats to make a work of art that will later be auctioned in a fundraiser.

 

This image originally appeared in Love for Animals, published March 2016

 

Author: Ariana Crespo

 

 

Bachata, Nicoya’s Erogenous Zone

 

 

 

Óscar Godínez y Josselyn Pérez improvisan una rutina de bachata en un salón del hogar de ancianos de Nicoya. Los salones de baile son una concurrida manera de disfrutar las noches en Nicoya. Más allá del “repello”, las sensuales posturas de una bachata son una obligación. Quien no baila, muere socialmente.

 

Esta imagen apareció originalmente en Bachata, zona erógena de Nicoya, publicado en octubre del 2016

 

Autor: David Bolaños

 

Life on the Streets

 

 

 

On Christmas day, after spending day and night drinking and walking around Nicoya city, Victoriano “Gemelo” Obando asks for some colones before going to sleep.

 

 

This image originally appeared in Life on the Streets, published January 2016

 

 

Author: Ariana Crespo

 

 

Photo of the Week

 

 

 

Sunset in Tamarindo Beach

 

This image was published on January 19th, 2016 in the segment Photo of the Week

 

Author: Duncan Harley

 

 

Migrants in Guanacaste: A Life in Limbo

 

 

 

About 150 Haitians wait for food at the San Dimas shelter, located in Las Vueltas de La Cruz. Sometimes there is not enough food for everyone so they fight for their plates.

 

This image originally appeared in Migrants in Guanacaste: A Life in Limbo, published August 2016

Author: Ariana Crespo

 

 

The Faces of a Century

 

 

Francisca Isolina Castillo (109). Panchita Castillo is an icon of Guanacastecan longevity and a feminist rebel of the last century. She lost her sight recently but, however, she is still very cheerful, talkative and curious.

 

This image originally appeared in The Faces of a Century, published June 2016

 

Author: Ariana Crespo

*Panchita Castillo passed away on December 20th, 2016 at the age of 110

 

 

Journey to the Volcanoes of Guanacaste

 

 

Rincon de la Vieja Volcano (6217 feet above sea level). The crater lake is one of the most acidic in the world because it has a significant amount of sulfur and chlorine. According to research, the name of the volcano is possibly due to a very old woman who once lived in the area whose home was known as “el rincon de la mujer vieja” (the corner of the old woman).

 

This image originally appeared in Journey to the Volcanoes of Guanacaste, published April 2016

 

Author: Luciano Capelli

 

 

An African Tour in a Guanacastecan Adventure

 

 

 

A zebra gently bites the shoe of a child enjoying the ride on the Africa Safari Adventure in Liberia. Visitors often feed the animals with carrots during tours.

This image originally appeared in An African Tour in a Guanacastecan Adventure, published October 2016

Autor: David Bolaños

 

Photo of the Week

 

 
 

For the past four years, community group Dulce Navidad (Sweet Christmas) has organized a holiday party, handed out candy and decorated a tree for kids from Guayabo de Bagaces. This year, the group went ahead with its annual party despite devastation in the community caused by Hurricane Otto. But some of the decorations were left in storage because various group members had volunteered after Otto as emergency responders. This Christmas reindeer, left behind along with hundreds of bags of supplies, was captured by the lens of photographer David Bolaños as a sad yet inspiring metaphor for the past few weeks.

 

This image was published on December 20th, 2016 in the segment Photo of the Week

 

Author: David Bolaños

 

 

 

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