Penny's Peace of Paradise

I'm Turning Tica, Si! Oh Yes, I Think So...

2009-11-09T04:35:00.006-06:00

It's official, I'm turning into a Tica, and here is why:

#1 When we first arrived in Costa Rica, I thought the women dressed very provocatively. Tight and revealing, regardless of less than fit bodies, and always strutting around in high heels. Late teens through great grandmothers, they all flaunt what they've got! As a fifty year old, ex hippy, I ambled around in my sensible flats (often Birkenstocks,) loose fitting shirts, and comfortable khakis, camouflaging, what I felt, was my less than perfect body. In the states, the obsession with thin is ingrained in every woman from a young age. My first diet was in middle school. Latin women embrace their figures and feminism, some of it has to do with the slightly "macho" society, but the women here are confident in their female form. Many exercise daily and try to eat healthier. Their tight clothes often reveal bulges, pooches, and bumps, but they are comfortable in their skin. They know that dressing up a bit, and taking a few extra minutes on your appearance, makes you feel beautiful and radiate confidence. I now embrace my feminine side and get my nails done, wear a bit of make-up, close fitting clothes, and heels. I feel great, and get appreciative looks, and compliments from friends.

My new look:

just kidding...

#2 Ticas keep a clean house. I am many things, creative, optimistic, fun loving, but not a neat-nik. I appreciate organization, and get into putting a closet into shape, every now and then, but the daily tidying, sweeping, mopping, etc... NOT! Well, it's beginning to change, I am taking pride in my neat and tidy casa. Things are far from most Tico homes, but I'm working on it!

#3 While I'm on this topic, let's take a peek into my Tico bathroom, shall we...

Perhaps, because this is a rental Tico home, it seems appropriate, but never in a thousand years, would I have wanted to dress up my toilet in the states! I think this is the ultimate proof that I am a Tica now.

Ciao,
Totally Tica

A Quick Trip to Tortugero

2009-10-20T04:36:00.012-06:00

We left on Friday morning to go check out the island of Tortugero, on the northeastern coast of Costa Rica. We would be catching the tail end of the green turtle watching season, but we remained optimistic as ever! I belong to a Yahoo group called Costa Rica Living, and many generous folks there, recommended a stay at Casa Marbella, in the little town of Tortugero. The innkeeper, Daryl Loth was quick to reply to our inquiry, and we headed out, instructions, and maps in hand. Many visitors sign up with the larger lodges, which provide transport to and from the Central Valley (San Jose,) to the riverboat that takes you to the lodges. These are "all-inclusive" packages and sounded like something we would absolutely NOT be interested in!

We set off from Grecia, and headed east to Guapiles, on the Caribbean side. From there, we followed a road up to a small farm called La Pavona, about 30 kilometers(15 of those on a dirt road) north of Cariari. We found the farm and left our car with a congenial fellow named Ronald. The farm belongs to his father-in-law. Ronald then drove us another kilometer to the river's edge. There we caught one of the water taxis heading up river.

The initial river we traveled, is very shallow, and the captain had to slow and lift the trim often, but we also swiftly banked on the turns, to the thrill of all of the passengers. We soon came to the larger river, and cruised up to the island town of Tortugero. Periodically we let off local residents and their bags of staples to carry them through another month of isolated living at their small riverside casas. We were then dropped off at the Casa Marbella lodge (http://casamarbella.tripod.com/,) and found a very comfortable and and tidy room. We arranged for a night tour to see the turtles laying their eggs, or deshove.

We ate a great lunch at the nearby Budda Cafe, then walked over to the Visitor's Center. It was a very informative stop, then we began our return along the beach and came across baby turtles, recently hatched, who were making their way out to the surf, it was breathtaking to see! Everyone was very respectful, and equally entranced by what we were witnessing.

Our evening tour to, hopefully see adult females come up on the beach to lay eggs, was unsuccessful. In the park, the long length of beach is "divided" into sectors. The visitors are led to a waiting point near, but off the beach. Two park rangers, per sector, scan the beach for incoming turtles. The park, and guides, do a great job of keeping the humans away from the beach until a turtle is spotted. Once they feel the time is right, they lead one of the small groups to the beach, with their guide, to witness a portion of the process from a safe distance. After a period of time, that group is led off the beach, and another goes out with their guide. The entire process is about two hours long, so there is plenty of time for everyone to see it all. Our visit was at the end of the green turtle season, and alas, during the two-hour block of time we waited there near the beach, no turtles were spotted. We felt very fortunate we had seen the babies earlier in the day.

We went for a morning boat tour of the surrounding jungle waterways with Isabel, from Casa Marbella. We gathered on the hotel boat dock at six am, with five others, staying at the hotel, and set out on a wonderful journey! The experienced boat driver deftly maneuvered our little four-stroke boat around, to get us close enough to beautiful flora and fauna, without disturbing anything. We saw two types of tucans, numerous beautiful birds, a baby caimen, baby, teen, and 20-something iguanas, long nosed bats, a large bright yellow viper, a large spider that creates a golden web that is incredibly strong, howler, white faced capuchin, and spider monkeys. We learned so much about the plants and trees, it was fantastic!

We periodically passed large boats that sped by full of tourists from the larger resorts. They could not possibly have seen and learned a portion of what we did, I do not recommend them at all.

We left the next day, and once we got back to Guapiles, we headed northwest over to Agua Zarces, and the magnificent natural hot springs of Termales del Bosque (http://www.termalesdelbosque.com/english/.) We spent the balance of the day soaking in the various hot spring pools, and then cooling off in the river...aaaah! We spent the night in one of their very comfortable cabins, and went horseback riding in the hills after a hearty breakfast, the next morning. We rode into a forest, where a group of howler monkeys went wild at seeing us. We hooted, barked and howled at each other, it was great!

Time to head home...exhausted and amazed at our magical weekend.

Ruh, Roh...

2009-10-12T04:07:00.004-06:00

Scooby Doo jokes aside,

"Those who don't know history, are destined to repeat it." Edmund Burke, Philosopher 1729-1797.

NASA seems to be doing some questionable things, like crashing rockets deep into the surface of the moon, but the information provided in this report, combined with the physical finds, are striking. *Click post title for article

Square Watermelons...Brilliant!

2009-09-12T16:05:00.002-06:00

WARNING: Members of PETAP (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and Plants) may want to skip this.

Click on the post title above to get instructions

Labor Day in Costa Rica

2009-09-07T09:14:00.004-06:00

The past few weeks here in paradise, have been eventful!

We took the family to Termales del Bosque:
http://www.termalesdelbosque.com/english/

and had an amazing time at the quiet and little known, hot springs in the jungle. We took our regular vacation to San Carlos, Nicaragua, and were able to share this unique adventure with our son, who was utterly "blown away" by the experience! You can find out more about this trip by checking out my earlier post in June. We went into San Jose and had lunch at Tin Jo,(fantastic Asian fare) then made our way to the nearby import store to purchase fresh tofu, a new Mah jong set, and I bought myself a birthday present...a lighted and framed picture of a waterfall with a rolling devise behind which makes the waterfall and river below, come alive! Those who never frequented bars of old in the US, have never seen one of these "magical pictures," which were used as advertisements for various breweries. Ahh the memories... The only thing missing, thankfully, is the stale smell of beer and tobacco!

The culmination of all this frivolity, came with a surprise 50th birthday party thrown by my husband and our wonderful friends here in Grecia. We drank mango rum, swam, chatted endlessly, and threw darts during the evening downpour.

Living the dream here in paradise!

Tranquilo

Please take a few minutes to listen to this enlightening interview....

2009-09-05T14:22:00.004-06:00

http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2009/09/if-you-do-nothing-else-today-you-must.html

"If You Don't Have Something Nice To Say..."

2009-08-27T15:34:00.009-06:00

We love Costa Rica! Check out our nearby hot springs.

That said, for some reason, many expats here complain, and complain, and complain! It's exasperating. Almost everyone here has chosen to relocate here, yet they spend precious time grousing about minutia. Life is not perfect here, but for those who come here with their eyes open, can speak some Spanish, and are optimists, this opportunity is a gift! Transplants have to adapt to the pace and the Costa Rican mindset. Dealing with bureaucracies is exasperating everywhere, but Cost Rica takes it up a notch. However, not having the addition of a meddling military, like other Latin countries, makes it much more bearable. When I hear folks complain, I usually attribute it to being retired, with time on their hands, but I believe living abroad is not for many, and the complaints are a symptom of this. You need to possess the attributes I listed above and spend time here, in many locations. Talk to as many expats as you can here, but don't believe everything you hear, consider the source, WHERE they live and HOW they live. ! I read blogs by expats already living here, before I moved, but be warned, you'll see some complaining there too.

Consider why you want to move abroad. Economic woes, most certainly won't be repaired here, and you should probably know who you are, rather than trying to find yourself once you land in a foreign country. My advice may sound a bit harsh, but you only want to make a move like this after research, and soul searching. Perhaps then, at least the number of unhappy expats here in Costa Rica will drop. I recommend:

Click on the suitcase above, to sample the experiences of many expats in foreign lands.

What Healthcare Elsewhere Is Really Like

2009-08-16T08:15:00.001-06:00

Click on post link for a view of France's system.

A Morning Chuckle

2009-08-11T08:05:00.002-06:00

A gift of humor for all of you...Please click the post title above.

UPDATE:

This got me to thinking about the kind of man Obama really is...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfv2c0wTZg4

Watch they'll use this next as proof of his disrespect for the sanctity of life...

Wasn't eight years of this fear mongering enough?

Think people!

Costa Rica=Paradise

2009-08-05T17:17:00.007-06:00

I awoke to thunder this morning...or was it something else? This area is not far, as the bat flies, to Volcan Poas. My friends who live higher up in the hills than I say they can hear it rumble often. I've learned about the significance of the full moon on our volcan friends here, and I thought perhaps I was what hearing our towering neighbor. I took our little Costa Rican "Frens Poll," as they are often referred to in ads for puppies, and we went out and sat in the big leather rocker on the porch. Mind you, it's 3:30 in the morning, so the lightening was illuminating the entire sky, with the clouds to magnify it. The bats were swooping all around, and the morning birds wouldn't start their chatter until about 4:30, so the conditions were perfect! Suddenly the clouds moved away and the stars were spectacular. It is the rainy season, but we have been experiencing a month-long Veranillo de San Juan, or little summer (the 2 week break in the rain that historically occurs in early July.) We may get a brief drizzle, but we've had tons of sun and pool time lately! Our eldest son is visiting from the states, and does not go back to college until the end of September, so the timing, weather-wise for his visit, has been perfect. Alas, I was hearing nearby thunder, and not the volcan, but I wouldn't have missed this Costa Rican morning, for the the world!

Speaking of weather, because we experienced some atypical winds earlier, some of the coffee plants did not grow during their usual rapid growth surge. This has meant that the woman, we buy our coffee from is currently out of coffee, and the fellow who sells it, and currently has it, at the weekly feria (farmers market) is the most popular vendor there. We get our huge gallon Ziplock bags full of organic, shade grown coffee for $2.50 each, so hopefully this shortage is just temporary!

I went to check out some cabins/hotel for a friend of a friend who is coming down for an extended visit, deciding if Costa Rica is where he'll retire. We took the road we live on way up into the hills above us, and found the Mango Valley Lodge down a road surrounded by established coffee plants. The road opened out onto a cleared area with brand new cabins built along the hillside. The owners have recently completed these wonderful cabins, transforming an old farm into a beautifully landscaped hideaway. Each cabin has all the amenities, including a kitchens, of varying sizes, beautifully tilled walk-in showers and welcoming beds with attractive linens. at least three of the rooms have separate bedrooms and patios looking out at the verdant green hills and the peak of Volcan Poas. The owners, Julia and her husband have created a unique spot for the visitor that wants to experience the Cost Rican countryside. She speaks English and Spanish, and possibly other languages, as does her husband. The rooms are incredibly affordable, and the location rivals that of the luxurious Peace Lodge in Vera Blanca. This is a spot where you will get a feel of Costa Rica, the way it was years ago. There are no gringos living in big houses nearby, only tico neighbors whose family's have lived here forever.

http://www.mangovalley.com/

This is why we live in Grecia. It is about a 30-40 minute drive over to the city (San Jose, Escazu, etc.) Many "expats" have chosen to live in areas where other expats live, surrounded by the familiar trappings of urban life, like flashy boutiques and stores, many with familiar names, but that is not why we moved here. We shop in the local small stores for the things we can't get from neighbors, like coffee, fruits, vegetables, chickens, eggs, etc. We have more tico friends in Costa Rica, than gringos, and have never felt anything other than warmly welcomed.

Pura Vida!

The Immoral Minority: Keith Olbermann's Special Comments for August 3rd.

2009-08-04T16:01:00.003-06:00

Please take a moment to listen to this honest commentary about American health care reform, by clicking on the title above:

Now, you know the rest of the story!

Romeria - Cancelled!

2009-07-22T09:05:00.002-06:00

Romeria - Cartago 2008 Costa Rica
Originally uploaded by Luis Angel Espinoza

This annual walk by the faithful from all over Costa Rica to Cartago, has been cancelled for the first time in history, due to health concerns. Perhaps as many as 2 million persons make the trek, mostly from the Central Valley. However, others come from distant places in Costa Rica and even other Latin nations.
The pilgrimage is unique in that so many people walk long distances and frequently sleep outdoors. The gathering in the plaza of the basilica includes many who press forward to touch the gold case in which the representation of the Virgin is carried. The Romeria has been an annual event for the last 227 years, as faithful Catholics visit La Negrita to ask for a miracle or pay her back for her favours.
According to Catholic traidtion, Juana Periera found the small statue of the Virgen in 1635 on a stone at the edge of a river.

This is a huge shock and disappointment for the faithful. We were living about an hour and a half, by car, from Cartago, in the first town we settled in here, and are now more than two hours away. We know many people who happily make the pilgrimage by foot from their homes far away. Most are on the road, literally, for two to three days. The government and the Catholic Church are suggesting people worship in their home town churches, and watch the closed ceremony on August 2, from the safety of their homes.

We are half way through an additional week of vacation for the students of Costa Rica, due to H1N1 concerns. It seems possible, that they may add another week to the vacation period, because officials believe the worst of this outbreak will be experienced during the next two weeks.

We are not panicking, just being sensible about washing hands, and continuing to live a healthy lifestyle to help keep the bug-a-boos at bay!

Salud!

Who Knew?

2009-07-13T08:46:00.010-06:00

Click on the title for this latest article.

A quick Google of this topic, results in this:

and this...

http://www.ufoevidence.org/Photographs/Photo70.htm

Doctored photos? Maybe. But you have to admit, it's a little intriguing!

Guess it's time for a road trip to nuestro favorito volcan!

POP...Goes the Stresses!

2009-07-12T16:43:00.002-06:00

We went to Gringo Bingo today, it was a fund raiser for the local Conversation Cafe. This is a generous group of English speakers that meet in the local municipal building, every Saturday afternoon, to sit down with ticos wanting to learn English, or improve their skills. Refreshments are provided, which is why they held the fund-raiser. We had a ball, it was well organized and entertaining!

Just about every gringo I've met, gratefully gives back, in their own way, to the people of our adopted home. From installing libraries in public schools, chatting it up at the conversation cafe, coaching soccer, or doing all they can to lend a hand.

My friend visiting the states, is anxious to come home. We forget the level of stress we have left behind. We may indulge in the delicious foods we've missed, shop for the unattainable at Ikea and Target, but at the end of the day, we are reminded why we have chosen a different life for ourselves. A stress-free life, peaceful and secure, and not consumed with dangers and pitfalls around every corner. We don't have to reorganize our priorities constantly as circumstances fluctuate. We know what is important and understand how fortunate we are to have this opportunity.

I give you this gift of bubble wrap, so click on the post title, and you can experience some of our bliss!

Peace out

Last week...

2009-07-08T12:23:00.005-06:00

...began with my being car-less, as Goldie blew her engine and was no longer worth investing in. We've been getting around by taxi, which many folks do, and it is very convenient, but, I confess to being a spoiled gringa who wants her freedom. So, we are looking for something fiable, muy economico, y borato (yah, I know...good luck with that!)

...we lost our internet service, and just got it back yesterday, after the repair truck somehow ended up sideways on our steep driveway, and had to wait hours for two tow trucks to extricate, and drag him back up the hill. But I digress, in my almost 50 years, I have never experienced downpours, lightening, and thunder like I have in Costa Rica! The rain comes down with a vengeance, the lightening is always too close for comfort, and the thunder rattles your innards like a roller coaster. Our friends warned us to unplug everything when a storm starts, including the phone line, but I figured the odds of lightening hitting our house and utilities was so remote... Then I heard stories of lightening destroying almost all of one couple's appliances and electronics, because they weren't unplugged. Another friend had lightening hit her satellite dish, come down through the wires in the wall, SHOOT OUT of an outlet, across the living room and burn a circle in the opposite wall! She was sitting there watching it happen, in terror. We had lightening hit our meter box, last year, and melt the contents of the box. One family we know, hides in an interior, windowless room, because they are sure it can come through the windows, and sitting in their living room, watching huge bolts of lightening bombard the yard, I "felt" their fear!

...Costa Rica had an unexpected visitor, Manuel Zalaya, the Honduran president, was rousted from his bed, by soldiers, and put on a plane to our peaceful nation. Our president, Oscar Arias, met him at the airport for a press conference, and now a week later he will be moderating a "conversation" between Zalaya and the newly installed president of Honduras. When I travelled through Latin America in the late seventies, coups were practically a weekly occurrence, but to hear something like that had happened in 2009, was rather surprising.

...the kids got out of school for their two week "summer vacation." Historically the weather improves this time of year and we don't have daily afternoon rain. The past two years were exceptions to this, and if the last week is any indicator, we may be racking up a third exceptional year, but hopes springs eternal among the ticos.

...my good friend flew to San Diego to visit family, since the kids are out of school, but truth be told, it's a "fetch." She left Costa Rica with six big, virtually empty suitcases, and will return with all of them completely filled. In our adopted home, we want for almost nothing. There are grocery stores that cater to the quirky needs of transplants from all over the globe, and even a Costco-like store with imported goods in bulk. Unfortunately, the quality of goods here is poor. High thread count sheets and bedding...nope. Affordable small electronics...no way. Durable towels and clothing...not a chance. A reasonable selection of books in English...'aint gonna happen, not to mention the numerous foods and snacks that ultimately just can't be found. So what are we to do? We treat our visiting friends like pack mules. I'm not kidding. From our favorite scented candles, to waffle irons, and over the counter bulk medicines, don't be surprised when a Costa Rican gringo emails you an endless list of things they want you to "tuck" into your bags. Not to worry, most international carriers still allow two 50 lb bags, and you don't need much to wear here, so, be prepared to heft a bunch of junk when you come for visit!

...we went to an upscale American sports bar/restaurant, in Lindora, for the Fourth of July, and enjoyed listening to terrific live music, eating barbecue, apple pie, potato salad, and fried twinkies! God Bless American food!

I hope your "last week" was equally as enjoyable!

"You're gonna make it after all..."

2009-06-24T06:38:00.003-06:00

A close friend of our older son needed some help the other day. Her flight to San Jose was delayed, which made catching a bus to La Fortuna impossible. My husband picked "Rochelle" up at the airport and brought her home with him. The kids and I were thrilled to see her in the morning, and she and I visited after they left for school.

Rochelle is very bright, and is graduating early from UC Davis this December. She spent a semester here in CR last year, and has now returned for the summer to teach, in Spanish, to middle school students in Puntarenas. She came down early to visit with her former host family and tune up her Spanish skills. It was so refreshing to see a young woman with such an enlightened perspective, and who is optimistic with clarity. She loves the town of Davis, and sees it as a place she could settle down and raise a family, but she wants to travel and experience life fully before returning to Davis. Rochelle plans to get graduate credit next year working with schools on a US military base, somewhere overseas, then travel to India with her BFF's next summer, where one of her friends is from. She knows how to earn money to support her dreams, and wants to graduate early to save money. Rochelle told me of her younger brother, who loves extreme sports, and was lucky to only break his leg, base jumping near a ski area on father's day, her sister, who has begun practicing midwifery back east, and changes her family is experiencing, now that her 91 year old grandfather is living with their family. Her parents decided it is better for him to be with family than in a "home" in another state.

I am heartened to know women like Rochelle are out there, thriving and ultimately representing all of us in the future. I'm grateful my young daughter has so many positive role models, proving women and men alike can be contributing, multi-faceted, and happy members of the world community.
OK, stepping off the soap box...

My car is on an extended "spa" visit, so I had a taxi come to take her to the bus station in Grecia to catch a bus to La Fortuna. We look forward to getting together again with Rochelle when our son comes for a visit this summer.

Carnival In Costa Rica!

2009-06-20T07:23:00.002-06:00

Carnival in Costa Rica clip de la pelicula Carnival in Costa Rica filmada en costa rica entre 1945 y 1946.

and this...

A Costa Rican girl dreams of her "typical" Costa Rican wedding to the American fellow she has fallen for. While watching her crazed performance, her groom is torn between checking her into the nearest hospital and hightailing it to the airport!

Just another day in paradise...

Happy

Nice to Meat You!

2009-06-13T09:16:00.005-06:00

I try to keep the whining at bay, but the cost of a car less than twenty years old here is PROHIBITIVE, so most folk drive vehicles that were state of the art when The Cosby Show was #1. You'd think, by replacing every single part, wire, and bolt, the now-broke car owner should have earned a fresh start with their "new" car, or at least, a fulfilling second marriage. This is never the case though! The guy who owned the car before us boasted how he had replaced EVERYTHING on this car, so it should be "smooth sailing" for us...not!

While sitting in my non-starting "sailboat," outside our little market the other morning, I witnessed an unusual site. A delivery truck pulled up and the driver came around, opened the back, and hopped in. He disappeared in the dark of the back of the truck, then appeared again donning a hooded sweatshirt, zipped up to his chin, holding an entire half of a cow on his back, by it's foot above his head. He jumped down and marched the carcass into the store, which is also a carniceria. He came back out and grabbed another, then returned and removed his sweatshirt, hung it in the back, swept out the, meat bits(?) and gave a perfunctory wipe of his hands on his pants and drove away. We have bought our meat here often and the quality has been very good, so... I guess what you don't know won't hurt you!

Last night, I joined my friends at a restaurant/bar in Sarchi to hear some friends play some rock and roll. More gringos showed up, than I had ever seen in one place since I have moved here. Everyone was in great spirits and, along with a number of ticos, we enjoyed a montage of Eagles, Dead, Beatles and Lynard Skynard tunes. A long time Grecia local was their with the most recent issue of the Mountain Howler. It's a great local magazine in English to inform and advise gringos in the area about their "home."

www.mountainhowler.com

The owners of the restaurant are an American woman and her tico husband. What was so refreshing to see, was the owner moving around efficiently waiting on numerous tables, that would generally require at least 3-4 locals to do the same job, and possibly, not as well. For some reason, many of the waiters/waitresses here have a hard time seeing the big picture and working efficiently. Taking the initiative to streamline and save time and steps, just doesn't come naturally to many Costa Ricans. So ultimately, the lower wage is balanced by the fact that you have to pay three, or more, to do the work of one competent wait person. Now I am a restaurant alumni, and wouldn't work in a restaurant again, EVER, but the fact that I was enthralled watching a great wait person work, just shows how long it has been since I have seen it.

The great weekly local feria(farmer's market) is this morning, so the kids and I will set off soon in a taxi, to get our produce. Pictures of this fabulous bounty, coming soon! Feliz fin de semana!

The Idiot's Guide to a CR-Nicaragua Journey

2009-06-11T06:53:00.039-06:00

I've been MIA from this blog for a few weeks, as my mom came for a visit. Her first weekend here coincided with our tri-monthly vacation to Nicagragua. I've described our first trip up to San Carlos, Nicaragua in a prior post, but I have had lots of folks asking for details, because they want to experience this fun adventure for themselves.

I am going to go into detail with directions, names and landmarks, which is necessary here in the "Land of No Addresses or Known Highway Numbers." Contact Phillippe Tisseaux, the owner of La Esquina Del Lago, to arrange for your visit at: riosanjuan@racsa.co.cr. This is a comfortable and unique lodge built over the water overlooking Lake Nicaragua, its' nearby islands and the town of San Carlos. Each room has a double and twin bed, and private bath with shower(cool.) Phillipe or his staff will set you up to fish on the property, allow you to take out one of their many kayaks, or take you on guided tours and fishing trips. This is a very affordable full service hotel-jungle/lake lodge. Listen to howler monkeys, the burping sounds of the cormorans, and numerous species of bird that call this magical place their home! For breakfast, you can eat your fill of eggs, gallo pinto, fresh fruit and bread, and coffee. They can make lunches for you also, and let them know what you are in the mood for for dinner, we have had some amazing meals with fresh fish and unique river shrimp, similar to langostinos. Phillipe is a world famous fisherman, so try to go out fishing with this master, for the time of your life! *Website link below.

We try to leave Grecia around 8am and head north through Sarchi, home of the largest oxcart in the world. Look for it in in the park in front of the church:

Naranjo:

Stop in Zarcero, where a spectacular garden full of topiaries can be found in front of the town church:

Ciudad Quesada(otherwise known as San Carlos.)

Near the Muelle area look for a small resturant on a tiny river with the name of "____?____ Iguana." The road bends here and you cross a small bridge. Just before the bridge, across from the restaurant, you will see SEVERAL iguanas of varying sizes sunning themselves.

The road, Highway 35, up to Los Chiles is probably the best road in the country! You become very appreciative of a good stretch of road here. This beauty is straight and smooth with broad shoulders. I'm guessing the agricultural interests in the area, pineapples, sugarcane, and oranges, have influenced the construction and maintenance of Highway 35. You will pass the road leading to Laguna Cano Negro and then once you see the Los Chiles sign go up to a non-descript corner with a ferreteria:

Then head down that road past the park until you the road turns to the right. On your left is the Immigration office:

You need to fill out a departure form and have your passport stamped in this office, but we recommend getting your car parked securely first. Across from the Immigration office, is a small store that is run by a woman named Domingo Placio:

She will direct you to the fenced-in property, kitty corner to the store, where you can park your car. You pay when you return. The ferry is scheduled to leave at 12:30pm, give or take an hour, and there will be a man or woman with a clipboard near the Immigration office, who you will sign you up for the water taxi/boat up the Rio Frio. You will pay the fare of 5,000 colones ($10.00)once the taxi takes off. You will now have time to kill, and we hang out at the Heliconia Restaurant down the block:

The food is fair, the drinks are cold, and if the taxi is ready to leave and you are not on the boat, they will come look for you here. Before you walk to the dock, you need to stop at the police office along the way and pay 500 colones ($1.00) per person to get on the boat. You will need to pay this fee again when you return.
The water taxi usually looks like this:

...but you may get one like this:

The passengers tend to take a ton of cargo with them heading to San Carlos, as it is an isolated location with very limited availability of goods. One of the many times we took this trip, our tiny boat was so loaded, everyone had to have their feet up on the huge pile of cargo lining the center isle, although this is not typical:

Now, sit back and enjoy the hour, or so journey up the river! Look for howler monkeys in the tree tops, turtles sunning themselves on logs, statuesque white egrets, and maybe a small crocodile along the shore. You will stop at the Nicaraguan army checkpoint, where they will present the passenger list to one of the soldiers. This is no big deal, but it is not a time to snap photos. You will be on your way momentarily. A stop like this is typical for a Central American border crossing, and is more ceremonial than serious. The boat will take you to the sleepy town of San Carlos, Nicaragua, and let you off right on the dock of the Immigration office. Hint, if you set toward the front of the boat this process will go much faster. As soon as you disembark, go line up at the windows to the left. This is where you will present your passport, pay 4,000 colones($8.00,)and get your entry stamp. You will have passed the La Esquina Del Lago lodge, on your left just before you entered the confluence of Lake Nicaragua/Rio Frio/San Juan rivers. Someone from the hotel will meet you at the Immigration office, and will take you by boat over to the hotel:

www.nicaraguanfishing.com

Phillipe, or his staff will greet you with cold fresh squeezed juice and welcoming smiles. We have only experienced a few tiny mosquitoes at dusk, but otherwise they are happily absent. There are hammocks, hammock chairs, and large rattan chairs where you can while away the time.

Our kids and their friends from San Carlos spend alot of time in the water. The staff is also happy to take you back and forth into San Carlos, where Phillipe and his partner, Petrona have a little restaurant and art gallery, El Gueguense, in the center of town.
There is not much else in San Carlos yet, but there are hopes that more tourists will be arriving once the new marina opens. It turns out that Mark Twain visited and wrote about this area. Find out more on the lodge's website.

Phillippe with his guitar

Sunset over Lake Nicaragua

The water taxi back to Los Chiles leaves at 10:30am daily, except for Sundays when it leaves about noon. The return fare is 4,000($8.00)and if you can sit near the front, or at least the left side, you can hope off the boat in Los Chiles first. You then will be asked to go stand in line in a small fenced in area where they may, or may not check your bags before they let you head off to the police office to pay the 500 colones, then hustle back up to the immigration office to wrap that up quickly. It's warm in these parts, so bring a fan to make standing in any line more bearable.

The bottom line is that this is an easy border crossing, that is also inexpensive and relaxing. it is about three hours, with stops, from Grecia to Los Chiles. We like to stop at a restaurant called La Hacienda, just as you begin to drive up out of the valley. Great food, great views, and service.

Sapos, Snakes and Things that Gnaw in the Night

2009-05-15T08:02:00.008-06:00

I recently heard about the danger of toads(sapos) to dogs here. We lived through a whole rainy season up on a ten acre farm, without a sapo incident, but since we moved here our new friends have shared their personal experiences with us, and it's frightening! If a dog takes a sappo in their mouth, or just licks it, a hallucinogenic substance on their skin is dog poison. The dog will quickly go into convulsions, lose muscle control, and will die in short order without getting help. The dog needs to be given egg whites with milk to counteract the poison and save their life. I understand that there is something that you can get a the local pharmacies also, but knowing we have the antidote here at the house is comforting. I explained the danger to the kids, and what to do if they see our dogs messing with a toad. We all cracked and separated an egg and I showed them where medicine syringe was. Sure enough, the next afternoon, they saw our dog pawing at a sapo outside their bedroom window. I ran out in the pouring rain to chase it out of the yard, and we kept an eye on our pup for a while. Fortunately, he was fine. The poison presents as a is also a hallucinogen, and if the dog survives, they are apparently drawn to sapos in the future, this according to the locals here...

Our home in located in a valley, so the water table is just below the surface of the ground. Our landlord said we would get "large worms" coming up near the pool and finding their way into it during the rainy season. Now, I can put a worm on a hook for fishing without wincing, but if a worm is upwards on five inches long, and thick as your index finger...that's a snake, not a worm! I do not do snakes, can't even watch them on tv, deathly afraid!!! I have only seen a couple large slugs in the pool so far, much to my relief!

When we moved here, we bought whatever furniture and appliances we needed, but at the time, a nice bed was not in the budget. We bought a mattress, cement blocks and a piece of plywood, just like college days. A couple of days ago, it was two o'clock in the morning, and I awoke to a loud gnawing on the plywood directly below me. It was so vigorous, I could feel every scrape of the vermin's teeth. It had to be "rat sized" given what I was experiencing! I woke my husband who mumbled something somewhat reassuring and fell back asleep. So, hoping the vermin would resist the urge to come traipsing up on the covers, I scooted over onto my husbands side and attached myself to him so as to survive the rest of the night. The next day my husband caught the intruder, and of course he was one of those itty-bitty little mice that look like a dollop of whipped cream, have a British accent and wear red velvet boots. We are surrounded by sugar cane fields and now that the rains have begun the number of these charming interlopers has increased in our casa. As I have often said about my children, "Good thing they're cute!"

Whassuuuup?

2009-05-10T18:38:00.010-06:00

Gringas get two Mother's Day here, the American one today and the popular El Dia del Madre on August 15. I was ready to commit to only one this morning, until my children and husband showered me with good wishes, so I've decided to indulge myself in two Mother's Days this year!

A few posts back I expressed my desire for a girfriend, confident she would come...well lo and behold I met her two weeks ago! She is from San Diego, is married to a Tico and has two boys, almost exactly our kids' ages. We spotted each other while picking up our children from school, being gringas and blonde we gravitated toward each other and began chatting animatedly. Her family soon came for a visit and spent the day playing at our campo and we went to their home for gringo gathering soon after. She has been here for years and knows virtually all the gringos in the area. Most are retired without children, so it's nice for us moms to commiserate with each other. It feels so good to have a friend to laugh and compare notes with, to chat about our experiences and learn more about good places to procure everything from local organic coffee at a local finca, to a nondescript health food store nearby that sells fresh organic flours, grains, etc. She was kind enough to introduce me to friends who play mah jong, and I am now a "sub," who loves playing this addictive game, not to mention these ladies are a hoot! We sit out on their patios overlooking the neighboring hills and expansive valleys views below while we shuffle our tiles and tease each other.

My friend and I took our kids to a macaw refuge today, Amigos de las Aves, http://www.hatchedtoflyfree.org/. A gringa we met recently is living there trying to help her 89 year old, recently widowed father keep this amazing place afloat. He has had incredible success raising macaws there and releasing them into the wild. His methods have gone against the existing philosophies, like having to use a puppet to feed and care for young birds or they will never be able to assimilate into wild flocks. His hand fed birds have been released into the wild and mated with wild birds without incidence. They have close to 400 birds and the reality of caring and feeding these beauties is monumentally challenging! Her father relegated us with tales of the many birds and other critters who have lived there with them over the years, along with telling us about living in African and Afghanistan years ago. I hope they can find the support they need to continue their important work.

We headed off to lunch after our visit. I wanted to introduce our friends to the best pizza in Costa Rica, at La Antica Roma in Heredia. Lunch was so delicias and we ate like we hadn't had any food in days! Since finding this haven of wood-fired pizza nirvana, our family has eaten here too many times to admit, so the waiters waved at my happily as we entered. The place is always busy, as it was today. The time came to pay the bill and I realized my purse was missing. Apparently a group of nice looking 20 something gentlemen were sitting at a nearby table and must have grabbed it at some point. Let me say for the record, this is the first negative experience we have had since we moved here 17 months ago. We have been warned and read of the rampant crime in Costa Rica, yet we have walked around San Jose, and other towns with no problem. If you are aware of your surroundings, and keep your belongings close, you are less likely to become a victim. This absence of incident is exactly why I had become complacent and became a victim today. Wake up call received. They made off with 40,000 colones, about $80.00, my camera, and my id, not passport(passports are worth a lot of money, so you should only carry a copy of your passport with the most recent stamps and documentation copied.) It could have been worse and I guess I needed the reminder.

We came home and swam in the pool to let the experience wash away. So overall, a fun Mother's Day #1 for me. I'm looking forward to see what the next will bring!

It's Brilliant!

2009-05-05T15:30:00.006-06:00

Spend time around your favorite British friend and you'll shortly hear...brilliant! Now it's my turn. A few posts back, I discussed a structure going up nearby made out of four old shipping crates. Well it's coming along swimmingly, and I spoke to a builder today about the plans for this multi-use structure.

There's a long well in the cement floor for oil changing, etc, and that is the area for the lubricentro with an office/storage located in the lower right crate. They've attached an exterior staircase, opened the end of the upper right crate and built a small balcony for a hair salon! But that's not all...the left side crates are going to become a bodega, or store! Four, maybe more, businesses in one cool building, it's brilliant!
I love that they are using some materials that would normally be scrapped, and I still say it would make a interesting house in the right location.

Vacation Time Again (part two)

2009-04-20T18:47:00.004-06:00

We decided to visit Nicaragua for our second vacation. My mother was staying in Costa Rica for a while, so she would be coming with us. This meant, I had to be sure we didn't select an itinerary that would be too physically challenging, as she has problems with her lower extremities. There is one formal border crossing that can be driven through into Nicaragua, and I had heard because of that, you can spend a lot of time waiting. That was not my idea of vacation time well spent! So, back to the map and Google-ing. In the middle of the Costa Rica northern plains, there appeared to be a road that went straight up to Los Chiles, a town that looked to be not far from the border. Turns out, you must leave your car in Los Chiles, get your passport stamped and take a water taxi up the Rio Frio to San Carlos, on the southern shore of Lake Nicaragua. San Carlos sits at the confluence of Lake Nicaragua, Rio Frio and the San Juan rivers.

I'd looked for hotels in San Carlos online and found very few options. All of reviews of people traveling through San Carlos were full of horror stories...dingy eateries, dirty hotels and even a tale of swarms of insects like locusts filling the air! Really. I percivered though and learned of a unique hotel another boat ride from San Carlos up the Rio San Juan. The Rio San Juan flows out to the Caribbean. The Sabalos Lodge is a little over two hour water taxi trip from San Carlos, and boasts jungle cabins on the rivers edge. Most of the Tarzan-like bamboo and palm thatched cabins are built high up off the ground, are simply adorned, open air, but with mosquito nets for the beds and even bathrooms with showers! Each cabin is unique with names like The Jane, Tarzan, "Chita." The website said, "This is the place for the true adventurer and our goal is to give each of our visitors a genuine experience that will last for a lifetime."

At the immigration office in Los Chiles, we were told of a place we could safely park our car in a nearby yard while we would be gone. We bought our tickets for the boat ride to San Carlos and waited for the next departure. There seem to be at least three per day, so we were able to catch the one o'clock, which we hoped would allow enough time to ultimately make it to the Sabalos Lodge. The taxis are the primary mode of transportation. The long narrow taxis are old and bare bones and seem to be held together with multiple coats of paint. Everyone tries to seat themselves in the front so they will be the first in line at the immigration window on the dock in San Carlos. There are a few humble shacks built along the water's edge and the residents lives are centered around the river, fishing, swimming, washing clothes and just laying in hammocks watching the boats pass by.

Stately white egrets pose frozen on the river's edge waiting for their next meal to swim by and the branches of the huge trees bend down to brush the water's surface. It is magical! This is the jungle cruise at Disneyland on steroids!

Howler monkeys call from the dense foliage and turtles bask in the sun on logs protruding from the water. Huge bromeliads, too numerous to count, grace the tree limbs and colorful fallen blooms float on the calm brown river water.

We encountered a couple of quick downpours so we lowered the visqueen rolled up on the upper edge of the boat for just this eventuality. A few minutes later we tucked it back up so we could continue to enjoy the view. The engine droned on, and everyone seemed lost in their thoughts. My mom, never one to miss a photo op, is rapidly snapping pictures with the true trigger-finger of a grandma. We stop at a border station about 20 minutes up river and Nicaraguan soldiers in blue camouflage look over the passenger list and one comes aboard for the balance of the trip to San Carlos.

The immigration office is located on a tiny dock and once we disembark, we are herded down a narrow rickety walkway where we line up to wait our turn to get our passports stamped. Everyone has their belongings with them and it's a little tight. Locals weave their way through the herd to offer cold drinks and bags of mangoes for sale.

We eventually make our way up to the window and the officer is a very nice fellow who we have come to know since that time, and enjoy our brief visits with him each trip. We were greeted by a woman wearing a shirt with the Sabalos Lodge logo. We followed her to a small office down a cobblestone street where we would wait to be taken to the next water taxi going up the Rio San Juan. It was far too hot to sit still, so we took the opportunity to take a short walk around town and get a lay of the land. San Carlos is a small, sleepy, port town where residents of nearby isolated communities come to get supplies. It has a spectacular view of Lake Nicaragua and its' islands crowned with volcanoes. There are very few tourists, so we were greeted by quite a few "mobile retailers," as we wandered around town. We found a restaurant on a hill overlooking the lake where we grabbed a cold beer before we headed off on the next boat. This time we loaded up from a muddy, rubble covered stretch of "beach." We stopped a number of times to let off men hauling large bundles of food and supplies back to their families. Three quarters of the way to our destination, we stopped at a large cement dock which was the tiny river side village of El Castillo. We would stay here for thirty minutes to give passengers time to disembark and load. Many of those that got off, then boarded small canoes and other tiny paddle powered crafts that would take them up tiny arteries that branched off the mighty Rio San Juan. These river communities offer an amazing glimpse of a simple life in isolated jungles.

We finally set off again and before long, we saw the thatched roofs of the Sabalos cabinas. There was a white haired man and two young Nicaraguan woman waving to us as we made our way to their dock. We had arrived just before sundown, so we briefly looked around and got settled into the Family Cabin. We were given fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and asked what we would like for dinner. The proprietor, Yaro, is a gentleman who looks to be in his early seventies and he introduced us to his Nicaraguan wife, a mere twenty year old, if that. We went back to our cabin to watch the sunset from our porch on the river. It was beautiful.

The gravel walkways are lit with oil lamps and the whole scene is very rustic and was a great adventure for the kids! We were the only guests at the lodge and enjoyed an exciting dinner in an open air covered patio with bats flying overhead while we ate. The food was delicious, and not surprisingly, the service was very attentive. Our sleep was sporadic because we were so enthralled with the jungle sounds that surrounded us.

The next morning we discussed our options for activities that day with Yaro. The water of the San Juan runs much too rapidly for swimming or kayaking especially for children and seniors. Going for a hike to explore Fort El Castillo was out given my mom's physical limitations, so we opted for horseback riding. Unfortunately, our host said he had to go fix something at a business he owned in El Castillo, so it would be late afternoon before he could put a ride together for us, and he didn't know how many horses he could get. With limited activity options and WARM temperatures setting in, we reassessed our plans. We thought we might spend another night at Sabalos, but the cost of another night plus meals lost out to an explorative jaunt over to Volcan Arenal for the night. This really is a perfect place for the adult adventure traveler and is well known for the amazing fishing, but was not a great fit for this group.

We asked when the next boat would come by heading to San Carlos, and were told that we had missed the only morning boat at 5:30 am, and we'd have to wait until the afternoon for the next. The only other option would be to have Yaro take us to San Carlos on his boat, but that would be almost $200.00 because gas was so expensive at the time. We were up against a time constraint as the trip back to San Carlos was over two hours, then we needed to get back to Los Chiles before nightfall. Yaro quietly insisted there would be no boats to take us back to Los Chiles if we got there after three, which we most certainly would. I was starting to get cranky. It felt like this fellow was trying to keep us here so he could make ends meet until the next fishing derby came along at the end of the week! I decided to push and find out exactly what options we had. It turns out there was a boat coming shortly that would take us to San Carlos, but we would still miss the last boat to Los Chiles. At this point, I was ready to leave this jungle hideaway and see what awaited us on the next leg of this vacation. Yaro was a nice enough host and it sounds like he is charitably involved in the Rio San Juan area, I was just ready to go. We easily waved down the boat that came around 11:30 and when we arrived in San Carlos, found that there were actually a few boats leaving through the afternoon. We got back to Los Chiles and picked up our car then drove over to Volcan Arenal, easily making it by dusk.

We did return to the beautiful Rio Frio a few months later and found a wonderful lodge across the river from San Carlos, Hotel La Esquina Del Lago. We anxiously look forward to making this trip every few months now. It is so relaxing, and so removed from our everyday lives, it's really a treat! More on our most recent trip in a future post...

It's A Small World After All...

2009-04-19T16:04:00.003-06:00

The other day my husband was talking with a Tica friend in Lindora. She said, "I heard you had a birthday party for your daughter." He said, "Yes we did," and proceeded to tell her of the error of my ways, with wanting to throw a slumber party (refer to my earlier post, Trying to Party, March 22, 2008.) It turns out, his friend has family living in Grecia and they have friends that know friends, that know the family of one of the girls that attended, and my party was the talk of the town! The moms were actually taking notes of the activities and "parting gifts," and were very impressed with the whole affair. I am so pleased. I see myself as blundering around town and sticking out like a sore thumb, but apparently I did something right!
The other great news is, the principal of our children's school found out I was volunteering at the neighboring preschool, and has asked me to help them put on a big English Day celebration at their school!

I haven't met any gringa friends that I spend time with here. I wanted it that way for the first year, but now, given my limited Spanish skills, I am ready. Truly socializing, even with the parents as we wait for our children after school, is very difficult. I'm committed to practicing my Spanish more, but in my defense, I'm trying to do this at the same time the "late-forties-forgetfulness" is setting in. I have decided I am going to seek out some English speaking friends. There looks to be a number of gringas in the metro areas near the international schools, but I know there must be girlfriend candidates closer to home, and I'm sure I will connect with them before long.

I will be posting a blog about our first trip up the river into Nicaragua tomorrow, so check back then! Also, if you happen to visit my blog, let me know by becoming a follower. It's painless and you can follow anonymously..thanks!

Get Back To Work!!!!!!!!!

2009-04-14T16:02:00.005-06:00

Vacation is over, and it's back to school and work! Actually, things started coming back to life on Saturday after Good Friday. There were parties, fireworks and even soccer games on Easter Sunday. We got our first good afternoon rain shower on Sunday, which is a harbinger of the rainy season that is headed our way! Everyone seems happy to greet the rains though, as the usually green Costa Rican landscape has turned a tad brown and crispy.

There is a Hanes Brands Inc. plant in Grecia. It employs a ton of people, who look pretty content coming and going to their job, and there are also many couples who walk into work hand in hand. A funny thing, we bought my daughter Hanes underwear at Walmart the last time we were in the states, and it turns out it was made right here in Grecia!

All the local construction folks are back to work also. One group nearby is building a warehouse. They got four shipping crates, stacked them across from each other and layed rafters across the top, they then built the front and back walls with cement blocks and pieces of corregated steel...voila!

That's all it took for some folks nearby to get it done. They definately have building codes here, but evidently they are a bit looser in certain circumstances! As I watch this structure morph, I am becoming increasingly fond of it. It seems like it will hold up in an earthquake and could actually work well as an industrial loft residence. The fun part would be trying to incorporate as much recycled material into the design as possible.

Talk about adventures in building...They are constructing a large municipal building/complex of concrete and steel rebar near our children's school. It is at least five stories with a subterranian garage. What is most amazing, is that they are mixing ALL THE CEMENT BAG BY BAG! There are cement mixer trucks here, but only in the larger metro areas, so they pour the cement one bag at a time into a large on site mixer, then pour it into wheelbarrels or a large funnel with a spout that is hauled up by a huge central crane. The workers then spend a lot of time chiseling away in spots all over the recently poured surfaces. Construction is actually progressing at a moderate clip, but it just one of those things that make you shake your head!

Semana Santa

2009-04-10T10:52:00.011-06:00

Many businesses and schools are closed all week and beginning last Friday afternoon, the valley residents headed to the coasts in droves! Seemed like a lousy time for Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen to tie the knot on the beach down here, but it sounds like they pulled it off without my help!

Today is Good Friday of Semana Santa, the holy week, and most important religious holiday here in Latin America. I've been photographing the crosses, that virtually every family has in front of their home, during lent. They came out forty days ago and they are beautiful! Please take a few moments to check out my photo collection:

Yesterday and today are the two days that most businesses are closed, but if you are open, no alcohol may be served or sold. The country sends officials around at midnight on Wednesday to make sure all alcohol is securely put away, and then they tape up the locked cabinets so they won't be opened again until midnight Friday. A restaurant my husband is familiar with, closed before the government officials arrived Wednesday night, so the officials taped up all the doors forbidding the restaurant from opening the following day. Fortunately, the owners knew they should not disturb the tape and went to the official's office to plead their case. Once they could confirm the alcohol was safely locked away, they taped up the cabinets and lifted the tape on the doors so they could open for business.

Not being a Catholic, I did some reading online to find out about the Catholic traditions, and apparently to guarantee a couple of days for quiet reflection and prayer they also discourage driving on Thursday and Friday. To be clear, it is a sin to drive on these days! This doesn't mean much in the more populated towns of the valley, but up in the hills, like here in Grecia, they are very "old school!" We ventured out mid-day yesterday, and the streets were empty with the exception of foot traffic and a couple of horses. I had not read about the, driving being a sin thing yet, so couldn't figure out why people were giving us the "hairy eyeball," but something told me to let my husband pick up the groceries, and head back home pronto! Needless to say, we are just going to take a walk today and leave the car at home, I mean, when a sin is this easy to avoid...

Many of the crosses I photographed will be draped with a white sash as of Easter Sunday morning. Easter is a religious holiday here, so there is no Easter bunny mania, which is great for me, because I actually forget he was coming until 5am on one Easter morning a few years back! As for our family, we will be celebrating time together by preparing meals, eating a little chocolate(just because) and enjoying the waning days of the dry season.

Random thoughts...

2009-04-06T07:03:00.008-06:00

Twinkle, twinkle...

We have a miniature poodle. He is our first small dog, and I am now a convert! He doesn't destroy a new toy in a day, eats less = poops less, is easy to have in your lap/bed, and this one doesn't shed. He falls asleep on our bed until my husband comes in, and then he heads off to our daughter's room. Last night he was a good little perro bravo, or guard dog, when my husband opened the door, he alerted me to the "intruder." Unfortunately, I couldn't get back to sleep, so I went to heat up some milk. There on the kitchen floor, I saw what I assumed was a wayward firefly making his way across the floor. I flipped on the light, and lo and behold it was a centipede with a glowing green headlamp! I am enthralled with the fireflies, because I have never lived anywhere that they also called home, but a glowing centipede! After researching it this morning, I believe what I saw was a luminescent millipede.

I don't know where I'm a gonna go, when the volcano blows!

If you've read my profile, you'll see that I follow Alaska politics. Alaska is a telenovella, complete with bungling power hungry politicians, narcissictic divas, earnest citizen journalists trying to hold people accountable, rebellious children who must be bailed out of trouble constantly, and a volcano which threatens the citizens, and landscape of this troubled land. Think I'm exaggerating?
Go visit: http://www.themudflats.net
The writer is impossibly eloquent, insightful, and right on the money, as she watches the strange goings on in her home. Be warned though, one visit...and you'll be hooked!

Starry starry night...

We went to a star watching event at our children's school the other night. They brought in two high powered laboratory quality telescopes, and food and light up toys for purchase. They gathered the kids together for a little lecture on what they might see and then all the children lined up in two rows in front of the telescopes to wait for their turn to view. As fate would have it, clouds filled the sky and not even a star could be seen, so we waited... The kids sat patiently in the dark on the field, playing with their light up toys and chatting excitedly. Forty five minutes passed before the first break in the clouds appeared, hurriedly the telescopes were rotated into place to see the moon, and the children were individually hustled up to the lens. The kids were so excited, they began cheering for the moon like they were at a soccer game, oooway, oway, oway, oway...luna, luna! I've included an audio of this, it's noisy, but you can hear the kids chanting a couple of seconds in.

I see now, that Costa Rican children are introduced to flexing their patience muscle at a young age, and it is an invaluable exercise for survival in this country.

Que Linda!

2009-04-02T18:21:00.013-06:00

I've begun teaching English to the children at the preschool/kindergarten that is a part of our children's school. I taught a similar curriculum in the states for babies, toddlers and preschoolers and their parent, like mommy and me-type classes. It seems to be a great fit, as I use puppets, finger plays, dancing, parachute play and simple repetitive songs which are very engaging. The kids are already singing along, plus, they squeal and excitedly call out my name when they see me each week, which makes me feel good!:) The school is very well appointed, clean, organized and the staff is very affectionate and loving, something you don't see in the states.

Large sinks are located in the hallways so the children can wash their hands after recesses, and brush their teeth after lunch, every single one of them line up to do this! This occurs at all of the schools here in Costa Rica, it's fantastic! The children wear uniforms, like they do at all schools here, and the ones for the little kids are incredibly cute! The girls wear little pinafores over shorts and the boys wear smart little tailored shirts over their shorts. I'm having a blast, and feel honored to be able to share my classes here, with these adorable children!

GOOOOOOAL...NOOOOOO!

2009-04-01T07:41:00.006-06:00

Last Sunday was the first of two 2010 World Cup qualifiers that Costa Rica was to play in. The English language publications were calling it the Superbowl of Costa Rica. They spoke of the increase of police on the roads who would be enforcing the new less tolerant drunk driving laws, and that the country would come to a stand still once the game began. The streets are usually quiet in the smaller towns of Costa Rica on Sundays, as it is a day of religious observance, rest and time with family, but Grecia was a virtual ghost town! We had done our shopping in advance of this, and hunkered down in front of the tv at 5pm. The game was against Mexico and was being played there, so the crowd and announcers, were impossibly biased. Things went from bad to worse quickly and Mexico soundly slaughtered Costa Rica, 2-0. It was hard to watch and in the crowded restaurants and bars, I'm told, the crowds were silent. The good news is also that the Costa Rican fans didn't drink away their disappointment, and the roads stayed relatively safe. Costa Ricans tend to take losses like this in stride though, as one of their own, Maria Jose Castillo, was one of the two finalists on Latin American Idol, but unfortunatly she lost. She was, an is still, though, a huge source of pride for this country. Yes, we have Latin American Idol, and it is EXACTLY like its' American sister, with a couple of glaring differences! They have three judges, an overly emotional female "has been," a cranky middle aged music industry fellow, and an affable fellow who also has great looks,not sure what his claim to fame is. The theme music is the same, the long drawn out "suspenseful moments" and the corny host...all the same. The differences? (1) The outfits, chosen by Latin stylists are typically Latin in flavor, and would be laughed off the American stage, and (2) duh, it's all in Spanish!

Back to "football"...
Costa Rica gets another shot at qualifying tonight against El Salvador, here in the Saprissa stadium. El Salvador was ahead of the USA on Sunday, 2-0, but then USA scored two goals to tie it up by the end. Both teams are motivated to make a better showing than Sunday, so everyone is anticipating a good match up. The next qualifier will be played against USA on June 6, here in Costa Rica.

Anyone who knows me, knows I am NOT a football fan, I can't help it, I just can't stay with a football game, as it seems a like a violent human monster truck rally. The fact that I live with an avid football fan, who himself played in high school, is a challenging dynamic for us, but my husband is a very understanding and accommodating fellow! I find it unreal that men who continue to suffer physically from injuries they sustained while playing football as youths, would encourage their own kids to follow in their footsteps. I'm glad my son won't be subjected to this. I'll step off my soapbox now...

Ultimately, Latin "football" is football I can get behind, so watch the game tonight with us, and cheer on our Costa Rican boys!

Who Knew?

2009-03-23T12:34:00.002-06:00

I would be remiss if I didn't admit that Marlon (Jason) Goldie's hunky new mechanic has been dumped. He basically patched her up and it turns out his treatment was yet, another Band-Aid. The other day she began loosing lots of oil, which was a problem, because we had begun parking her on our ceramic tile patio after hordes of bats spent their nights hanging in the palms over her munching fruit and pooping. BTW(by the way,) think about it...head down, pooping parts above and somehow they can skillfully not get any on themselves! Amazing!

Anyway, almost everyone parks on their patios here, and we have lots of patio space so we don't have our cars on the front patio, but I digress... We finally asked our landlord, who has lived here forever, and is beloved by everyone in the area, who his mechanic is, went to see him, and Goldie will be spending this week in his intensive care unit. I had quite a mess to clean up and I researched online, of course, and went up to our small local market (abastecdor), and found no cat litter, but was intrigued by a bag of chicken feed. Same color as sawdust, and let's face it, who sells sawdust, and the consistency looked similar with added larger chunks of corn kernels, so I bought it. Let me tell you, it cleaned up every little bit of that oil, even did well in the grout lines, thanks to the grit of the kernels, and the small bag was only 620 colones, about $1.40! So, next time you have a similar mess to contend with...head off to your local feedstore.

Trying to Party

2009-03-22T07:29:00.007-06:00

Our daughter turned nine recently, so we wanted to have her friends over to celebrate. We were shopping at Pequeno Mundo, Costa Rica's bargain basement mecca, picking up some summer clothes for this glorious weather we've been having, when we found some "dollar store-type" items that would be perfect for fun party crafts. We decided to have a slumber party for four girls, including my daughter (mi hija, or "mija") and make it a slumber party, so there would be plenty of time for swimming, crafting, games and watching High School Musical 3, of course! We gathered up some other girly things for crafts and games and drove home excitedly making plans!

"Mija" knew which three friends she wanted to be there, so we created the invite and printed them out. Crickets, that's what we heard...crickets! No response. Nada. I wondered, did Costa Ricans not understand R.S.V.P.? "Mija" said the girls were excited, weren't sure they could spend the night, but we needed to talk to their parents. We finally gathered up their phone numbers and my husband called their parents. He spoke with one father on his first call, who said, "Sincerimente, los ninos en esta pais, no quedan a domir in otra casas hasta eran como quince anos." Translation: To be honest, the children in this country do not stay and sleep at other houses until about fifteen years old. We were so grateful this parent had gently leveled with the gringos, but I also felt embarrassed that should not have just assumed a practice, so unique to America, would be easily accepted by other cultures. It seemed so obvious once we were informed! My first instinct was to spend time smacking myself upside the head, saying, "Dummy, dummy, dummy!" My husband, bless him, saved me from this self-centered tirade, and said, "Hey, no big, we'll just hold it Saturday, and it will be great!"

I needed to decide if I was concerned about what people would think of me, because I made one mistake, or did I want them to see who I am, warts and all. I pick the latter, but it sure is easy to want to wallow and worry! I guess after almost 50 years of that useless behavior, I finally get it...sort of!

It's Sunday morning, and everything hurts! There is that problem with having a party at your hose, clean up before...clean up after, but there's the added challenge with kids' parties of running around the whole time, to to keep everything running smoothly. I crawled into the tub last night, and read five chapters of a book before I realized the water had cooled, then read two more before I could gather up the energy to stand up! The truth is, even if you stay in some sort of shape, a fifty year old body is not 30...period! The silver lining? The party was a huge success! The moms came and stayed for the entire party, which was great so we got to know each other, language stumbling and all! They loved our tranquil campo, and laughed along with the kids as they frolicked in the pool and ran in the water-fun relay.

The moms told us that girls did not go to sleepover parties until age 15, however, younger kids will attend the Latin version of a slumber party. It begins at five, ends about nine, and the kids all wear their "pijamas." One mom said that Grecia is more like old Costa Rica, more traditional, and so what may be popular in the city, is not embraced here. I'd have to say that suits us just fine! We are thrilled everyone had a good time at our first party here in Costa Rica, but me, I'm off to grab a couple ibuprofin!

"Goldieeee..."

2009-03-14T05:45:00.004-06:00

We've purchased three cars since we arrived. Importing cars to Costa Rica is beyond cost prohibitive, so everyone is constantly resuscitating their 10-20 year old vehicles. Every year, all vehicles must be inspected for mechanical soundness, I guess. Inevitably, everyone must return at least a couple times to finally get a passing sticker that must be displayed prominently in your windshield. We've had to replace mufflers, lights, etc., but what is shocking, is the amount of foul exhaust that pours out of the majority of vehicles here! Certainly, NOT what one would expect from a country that prides itself on its' planet friendly pursuits. Very few folks living here can afford to purchase a new vehicle, and I honestly, can't understand the purpose of the annual vehicle inspection, as we frantically roll up the car windows to avoid certain asphyxiation each day! The import taxes have to be lowered for this problem to be resolved, but until then...we are the dotting parents of Goldie, a 1990 Honda Accord, and Hyundai with a Hex, a 1997 Hyundai Elantra Grand Touring. Sounds fancy, but, to be accurate, it is a piece of junk with a never-ending roster of problems than need repair!

Our first purchase was a Nissan Sunny which ran like a champ, and was missing all its adornments, which really was the perfect car for travelling in and out of San Jose. No "steal appeal!" My husband started getting a little nervous in the midst of the last rainy season, though, as the floor was so rusted out, there was two inches of water rolling around at all times. Literally, the poor guy was going to be Fred Flintstone any day! Fortunately, my mom had come for a few months and bought a car, and when she left we bought it from her. Once the dry season had begun, we were able to find a new "Papi" for Sunny.

When we bought Goldie, we felt confident we wouldn't have to replace much on her, because her last owner showed us all the receipts for what he'd had done, but no... She's had her share of "spa time." I call it that because the garage we've been going to charges a fortune, and takes days to get our vehicles back. We plan to cut the cord with them, but we won't finish paying them until the most recent problem with the Hyundai with a Hex is actually fixed. Goldie, however has found a new Svengali!

The kids and I needed to drive back up to their old school in the mountain town of San Isidro de Heredia. Ten kilometers from the school, Goldie began overheating, the latest in a series of maladies which her spa was unable to find an appropriate treatment for. We gingerly made our way up to the school, gave her a short rest at the school, then began heading downhill in search of a gas station or at least a hose. We found nothing, I mean nothing! We travelled at least fifteen kilometers, all the while, I had a panicky white knuckle grip on her steering wheel. Suddenly a Lubricentro appeared in the distance! I tensely turned into the lot and Goldie gave a final gasp as we rolled to a stop.

A young man came out to meet us, and I "charaded" our problem to him. BTW , (by the way), I have really honed my skills at this game, so challengers are welcome! Anyway, our young fellow quickly realized he was in over his head a called for some help...

No kidding! He rounded the corner and out came a young Marlon Brando, but with blonde highlights and a longer cut. As he came toward us, a hush fell over the other workers. The fellow who had been helping us didn't need to say a word, Marlon stepped up to Goldie and began gently manipulating her "parts." There are some people who seemed destined for their career, Marlon was one of those. You could tell he knew every inch of an engine and would be able to diagnose her problem in short order. Like a gifted surgeon, he was all over her testing her reflexes. I had him tell my daughter what his diagnosis was, and then called my husband to let them discuss her prognosis. It was decided that he would fix her and asked for only an hour in his garage bay nearby. We left her, confident that she was in good hands.

We returned from a walk in about 50 minutes and she was ready to go! He had replaced the top of the radiator, fixed some wiring, replaced the thermostat, and a few other things, and asked for only 25,000 colones, about $50.00, TOTAL! Who could have known, in our hour of desperation, we would pull into a garage and find a Master Mechanic!

I know I sound a wee bit taken by this young man, but I never found Marlon Brando the least bit attractive. I think I was taken by his confident command of our girl Goldie. Now, Goldie on the other hand, has put her tire down and we will now be driving over an hour each way to see Jason whenever she needs any further treatment!

Location, Location, Location

2009-03-11T05:27:00.009-06:00

Moving to Costa Rica was not that overwhelming for us. My husband and I both share a sense of adventure that has not been dampened by having children. When the opportunity first presented itself, we had already been contemplating a major move, due to our changing financial situation. I was working for an airline, and there were many opportunities to relocate virtually anywhere in the US, or Caribbean. I love researching online, and spent hours familiarizing myself with possible new communities for our family. We love winter sports and in my 20's, I had lived in the Colorado rocky mountains. On the flip side, the thought of not wearing layers and procuring snow tires and firewood every six months had lot of appeal too! It's amazing how things do come to you when you are open to receive them. Once the call came in, we both said, "OK, I guess we're moving to Costa Rica!"

There are some very informative websites, like therealcostarica.com, and before we moved, I read some blogs to see what other expats' experiences had been. You must first gain an understanding of the current residency laws. They change often, and are confusing to say the least. Some options available are: You can "retire" here with proof of a steady income coming to you each month or you can open a business, as long as you are committing a qualifying investment. The Real Costa Rica has good basic residency information on their site, so I would start there, but we would strongly recommend hiring a professional!

Once you have a residency plan, you need to decide what to bring. You may be moving "Lock, Stock and Barrel, or you may choose store some items in your country of origin. There are two versions of the afore mentioned "LSB" method: ship everything in a crate/s, or sell everything and start over when you arrive. Shipping is costly, can be frustrating and unnerving. We decided to let everything go and start fresh in our new home. We advertised on Craigslist and then liquidated the balance at two moving sales. It was liberating! I'm crafty and thrifty, which is the kiss of death for trying to live simply, so once the decision was made, getting rid of ALL OF MY STUFF was fantastic! We were not dependent on the sales to move, so we were able to make others happy while achieving our goal.

Of course you'll be unsure of what to bring, so let me share our list...I brought our favorite bedding/linens, a couple of dishes with sentimental value, small electronic appliances (mobile phones, flat iron, razors, dvd player, cameras,) a few toys, a few collectibles, pictures,laptops, cd's, etc. You can buy almost everything you need here. Walmart has stores here, and on Craigslist,bargains can be found. You won't find thrift stores here, nor will you see any garage sales in the majority of the country, so don't count on those for purchasing. There are furniture stores, even one large chain with modern offerings, but there are no IKEAS here, :( Electrical appliances and electronics are expensive here. Don't bother bringing your cell phones, unless the chip can be removed and another service provider can be used, probably not likely. Clothes are easily acquired here, and there are used clothing stores everywhere, called Ropa Americana. These are stores that buy big lots of clothes from thrift stores in the states, as they rotate their stock regularly. I have had great success shopping at ropas, and there are other bargain stores for new clothes too. We lived in the Lake Tahoe area for years, so we had a huge collection of winter clothes and toys...we got rid of all of it! You will not need any of it, unless you are travelling to those cold areas often. Knit hats and gloves are for sale, but even in living in the "mountains" here, we never needed more than a sweatshirt and socks. Regrets? I've had a few... There will be moments when you say, "Gosh I wish we hadn't sold that!" but overall, this has been a great lesson for our entire family of American consumer alumni.

San Jose is the largest city here, and as the capital, is the major commerce center. Tourists and future residents alike, will fly into the airport near San Jose, spend a night and head out of the city to their destinations. The city is congested, and has less than desirable areas, however, there is a ton of culture, a real mix of interesting architecture, and an atmosphere that should be experienced by every visitor for at least a day. Before you come, you will hear about the crime, maybe even hear expats personal experiences, but we believe these stories should be balanced by research and common sense. Research who the victims often are, where the crime most often takes place and don't be a victim! We've met tourists who have had items stolen, but by staying away from areas where you would be more vulnerable, and being aware of your surroundings you can probably avoid being a victim. We have walked around much of San Jose without incident.

Our business interests are in the central valley, so we would not be living on either coast. Looking for our new home, we wandered around the "mountain" communities and liked the feel of a more rural lifestyle, but wanted to be able to commute to the city within about 30 minutes when needed. Not far from San Jose, are the cities of Escazu and Santa Ana. These are wealthier communities with lots of familiar American restaurants and expensive shops. These areas are popular with expats because they can find lots of English-speaking friends to spend time with and perhaps, it makes them feel less like a stranger in a strange land. This was not what we were looking for. We wanted to embrace our new home and neighbors. The Costa Ricans we've met in the communities where we have lived, have been welcoming, generous and eager to get to know us too. We help each other with our "language learning," and spend hours talking, but we have also spent quiet walks witnessing incredible beauty with our new friends. Our children have attended local private (Catholic) schools and have also made lots of wonderful friends. We have, neither the desire, or the money to enroll our children in any of the international schools here. They are very good, emphasize English, and can offer enrichment activities that most other schools without the nearly $1,000. per month tuition, can not. All of these schools are located near areas where many gringos live, and that is not close to us. We were looking for a Latin American experience for our children and ourselves, we feel it would be crazy to not make the most of this opportunity.

Rents are cheap in Costa Rica, period. You will spend less on your housing and utilities here than in the US. Before we knew better, we were spending $900. for our first home on a big chunk of land with a view looking over the central valley, that I still daydream about. We then began looking for a rental for my mother to come spend time in here, and that's when we unexpectedly, found our next home. It was on about ten acres, and was a non-working farm which included a dairy, chicken coop, vegetable garden, re-naturalized rain forests, fruit orchard, a large lawn area, and a funky, rambling five bedroom house. All this for $695. per month, only problem? The property is jointly owned by a father and his daughter and son. The kids (both in their 20's now) are products of a marriage between an American hippy and his Tica wife. The parents' marriage ended when the kids were young, and their daughter is still pissed at her "papi!" I could go on and on about this young woman, but I'm going to keep it simple, and just say, she has a lot of growing up to do. My husband was spending more time in Alejuela, so we relocated for convenience and the chance to get away from our landlord!

At this point, you're probably asking about the legalities of renting/leasing, basically, there is a lot of wiggle (walking) room in lease agreements here. That does not mean that you shouldn't secure the advise of a lawyer, because the landlords will, and it is expected. Our current home is on the oposite side of the central valley, far from the hills above Heredia, where we were before. It is fairly rural, impossibly peaceful and we are happier here than in any other area we've been in before!

It takes time to find your perfect place in Costa Rica, so don't get "wedded" to any place too quickly. If you don't speak much Spanish and are not committed to learning the language, one of the cities with more gringos, may be a good bet for you, just know, that when you live in gated communities, those who would steal, may be drawn to that type of enclave. Costa Rica so is so diverse, you will ultimately find your perfect fit!

Vacation Time Already? (Part one)

2009-03-07T06:31:00.010-06:00

We like to travel regularly, about every three months we get away. Our first trip to check out our neighboring countries, was to Panama. At that time, we were living in the hills near Zurqui (off of Highway 32, although, no one here references road numbers!) so, it was more convenient to go down the Caribbean coast, rather than the Pacific side. We love to spend time on the beaches south of Puerto Viejo. It is less developed and is not over run by tourists, but this trip, we would stop short of Puerto Viejo and head west to Bribri, then south to the border crossing in Sixaola. This border is a rickety old one lane bridge, over a muddy river.

This is a BUSY crossing, so bringing your vehicle, requires patience and paperwork (the keystones of Costa Rican society.) I drove down from Los Angeles to Panama in 1977, and at every boarder crossing they would fumigate your car's undercarriage. This was to eliminate all those pesky hitchhikers (mostly of the insect persuasion!) So, be prepared and have your windows rolled up! Once over the border/bridge, there is a very dramatic difference between the standard of living in Panama and Costa Rica, even in the poorer areas. We made our way to the coastal town of Almirante and secured a water taxi to take us to Bocas Town in Bocas del Toro, and a secured lot where we would leave our car. Unlike CR, there are people trying relentlessly to sell you things at every turn in Panama. This means that you will want to find the taxi service that most of the locals use, not the tourist taxis, or you will pay dearly for the trip! The residents who live along the water are living a very desperate and meager life, which I think is important for tourists to see, to be reminded how fortunate some of us are, and to think of ways these families could be helped.

Bocas Town, on Isla Colon, seems to be the gateway town where tourists stay only for a night, and then take boats to many of the interesting places in the Bocas del Toro archipelago. We had made a tentative reservation at the Hotel Angela but, I was not ready to commit. Once we had been shown around, I felt it was too pricey, so we walked across town to the Hotel Olas, which had simple clean rooms at a reasonable price. It is busier too, which I saw as a positive, even though it had an almost hostel feel. There is a popular park in the center of town and it is surrounded by stalls selling jewelry and reggae wear, as this is a mecca for the surf and fishing tourists to shop for trinkets.

There are nice beaches on the other side of the Isla Colon and on the neighboring islands, but they are a quite a distance from town, and the beaches near town are very dirty, you will not want to spend time there! We were serenaded all night long by the the scratching sound of rats in the walls, and I shudder to think what it would have been like without the ac on to keep them at bay! Needless to say, we are ready to leave this island paradise the next morning. I've been told there are amazing beaches to be enjoyed on these islands, but travelling with children and not much time, we didn't have the luxury of taking a taxi/water taxi and surveying potential spots to spend the day. We did know there are wonderful beaches and lodging just over the border, and on the way home, so we got on the first boat out and high-tailed it back to the border. Panama is beautiful, and we look forward to returning and exploring when we have time to enjoy it, but for now, we were ready to return home.

Prior to our next "regularly scheduled mini vacation," I researched a journey into Nicaragua. A mutual friend said he loves to travel to Grenada, so that's where I started, but for us to drive to the border crossing on the pacific, and then make our way all the way up to Grenada, we simply did not have the time. So, now what?

Something's in the air

2009-02-26T12:35:00.007-06:00

Our first day in our new home, we noticed a wonderful smell of fresh baking cake, or cookies. It was heaven! At least four times a day our property is saturated with the smell of fresh baked goodies right of the oven! We tried in vain to see where these smells were coming from, but until we visited our neighbors home, up the hill, we couldn't see it. There is a small commercial bakery, hidden by trees, not far from us with little elves in white bakers outfits (complete with hats) busily going about their people pleasing business. OK, not really elves, but whatever they are making smells so incredible, it's magically delicious! I have lost 16 pounds since we moved to Grecia, I guess my sweet tooth has been satisfied by deep breathing!

We used to live higher in the mountains, and were surrounded by coffee fields. Now we're in sugar cane land. It is harvest time and the overloaded tractors and trucks haul the cut cane to the processing plant not too far from our house. We are fortunate to live in a small valley and the aroma of sugar cane processing floats by overhead, unnoticed. Driving near it is another story. I can't imagine how the plant's neighbors have grown accustomed to the plant's odors. It goes from sickeningly sweet to outright nasty! The other challenge living in sugar cane land is the fact that, once the fields are harvested, biannually, they are burned. Our landlord prepared us for the potential of frighteningly high flames near us, but assures us they are monitored and over fairly quickly. The fields surrounding our place have not been burned yet, but they did burn up in the hills yesterday and for the day, the air was pretty miserable and don't get me started on the resulting pool maintenance!

Who's the lucky girl? or Chunk #2

2009-02-22T07:59:00.005-06:00

He was gripping the cord way too tight, but it was his first time, and he was scared! The harder he grasped, the more precarious his journey became. Suddenly his back end slipped off the cord and as it swung around he could not muster enough upper body strength to recover. It was a quiet moment in the day. I'd completed most of the gardening chores I'd set out to, although that regenerating list is like a lizard, and grows new chores once others are eliminated. My smoothie sat beside me and I was perusing the day's news on the web. It happened so quickly, I didn't have time to really freak out...I saw something fall out of the corner of my eye and it landed on the table next to my smoothie! It seemed to take a few moments as it righted itself, during which time I realized it was a mouse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What happened next is hard to dissect, screaming, leaping, and doing that little foot lifting dance on the couch, which I assume, is used to ward off future encounters with unwanted vermin. The kids magically appeared on the couch beside me also doing the hoppy dance as the little fellow made his way to a corner behind my chair. We gathered our nerve and found a plastic container which we would use, as all great indoor hunters, to set over him. Then we'd slide a piece of cardboard under the container and relocate him outside. The plan was brilliant, his capture would be a cinch, and he was cute and round like a dollop of whipped cream. As he sat on his tiny rear haunches, just like the lovable mice in the kids movies we'd seen lately, I imagined that had on tiny red mouse boots... None of that helped us actually get close enough to it to make the capture. It's funny that he was cuter than the mice at the pet shop, but the thought that he was born and raised somewhere outside, or in the walls, prejudiced us against him. Like those pet shop mice are bathed, up to date on their vaccinations and ready for adoption? Anyway, my brave daughter, who barely cringes when she gets shots, was the one who finally captured him and carried him outside. It was hard to get to the point of relaxing after that, I mean, he was young and I know there are siblings not far, but I just had to steel myself and try to recapture my peaceful moment.

back to blogging... Who's the lucky girl? I am! In the states, I felt privileged to have one, maybe two blooms on a amaryllis plant in my home, but check out this abundance that just keeps showing off in my yard.

Tourists are struck by the amount of color that can be found in even the most inhospitable locations here. The tree canopies look like someone drizzled bright orange sauce over them, and the bougainvillea bushes have twice as many blossoms on them, than leaves. You can't escape the beauty of the flora here, they are colorful intruders in each rusty or dingy corner. It's hopeful and lifts my spirits!

To touch on my last topic, or Chunk #1, I'm preparing a showcase of the myriad of school uniforms here, so stay tuned!

I'm without a relaxation novel right now. I had donated and purchased used books at a pet shelter in Monte de la Cruz, but now must find a new "library." I am plodding through two books right now, the first is hardly just before bed reading, The People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. It's well written and a great way to review the country's history that you know, and learn lots of dirty little truths you didn't. The other book I brought with me, as I knew it would be relevant sooner or later, The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup, M.D. I know I'm not pregnant, but I am tuned into my, rarely problematic, body, and things they are a changing. No hot flashes, nothing that obvious, just mood changes and things hurting for no apparent reason. Ms Northrup is an amazing physician, who looks at the whole body, and encourages women to recognize women's history and how we fit into the natural flow of life. If you haven't hit perimenopause, I recommend her earlier book, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom. So, I will soon venture to the big city and check out a new, primarily, vegetarian cafe in Escazu. They have a book exchange going on there, plus I am excited to try their fare after reading about one of the owners, his wife and family on her blog, Asi es Costa Rica. So until then, I'll be dreaming of the colonial slave trade.

Sweeter dreams to you,

Penny

Got to break it down into manageable chunks...Chunk # 1

2009-02-17T09:07:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was a big day here, no not Presidents Day, back to school! I used to love the commercial for Staples, that had the song playing in the background, "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year..." then you see two morose children shuffling down the isle with their dad behind then jumping and clicking his heels together with a wide grin. The announcer says, "It's that time of year again...THEY'RE GOING BACK!" If your child is older than kindergarten, you totally get it! I love to share in the shopping, preparation, and dressing for this big day, and am so excited for them, but nothing compares with the first moments of silence when you return home! In fact I was ready to write this yesterday, and I couldn't do much of anything, too much anticipation I guess. I just sat in a rocker! Well, I'm all better today!

Things are a little bit different here, shopping for back to school is fondly known as the January Hump. Our kids have attended three schools here, as it has taken time figuring out the best place for our family to settle. Not great, but they have adapted well and are very happy. They first attended a large private Catholic school in Moravia, and basically got lost. I say this because they were not warmly welcomed by the students or the staff. Teachers and administrators here are openly affectionate with their students, which I love, but the size of the the Moravia school limited their ability to get to know their students, and give the extra help to our kids that they needed with the language. We transferred them to a very small private bilingual school near our home up in the mountains above Heredia. It was a fantastic move as the kids were embraced by the students and staff and assisted with any language issues so they could be successful. We moved about an hours driving distance away from that area to accommodate my husband's new business. Their new school is "just right" as Goldilocks would say, ...not too big, not too small!" Is is not far from our home, less expensive than the other two and there are a handful of other gringo kids attending so they are not an oddity, but an asset. They had an amazing first day and, "...love their new school the best!"

The moves have given them confidence and they both have become more outgoing and make friends easily. Back to the "January Hump," New uniforms, of course none of the three schools has required the same color shoes, socks or pant, really! So we have bought shirts pants, skirts, gym clothes, socks, shoes, and jackets at all three schools, but I will not complain, because I LOVE UNIFORMS! Our oldest is in his first year of college, I remember the morning drama over clothesand the huge expenditure expected on a new school wardrobe each fall, NO MORE!
In Costa Rica, you buy the books, like college, also supplies; copy paper, tape, glue sticks, glue, construction paper, liquid soap, TP, etc. I think that is great. I am happy to contribute! I've seen too many teachers in the states spend their own hard-earned money on supplies. Each class requires a small non-spiral notebook that must have a name tag sticker affixed on it, then must be covered with clear contact paper. In these books the children do a lot of pasting of papers they are working on and then all note taking. One of these notebooks is for communication al hogar,( with the home.) This one gets a lot of action at our hogar, because we are always confused about what is requested. My husband is fluent in Spanish, but what is common in Costa Rica can only really be known by those who were raised here. This said, we have not provided the correct item, or snack for our poor kids numerous times, like the time we sent our boy in , in his swim trunks for water-play day...two days early! It's all good though, I am just happy to make fewer mistakes as every day passes!

I am so proud of the kids though, they both understand almost everything that is said to them in Spanish. Our daughter has had more exposure as she spent a year in a Spanish immersion program in kindergarten in the states, so she is more comfortable responding than our younger son, but his confidence grows daily too. Their pronunciation is flawless, and makes me feel like a total tourist! A bit more horn blowing... our daughter had spent six months in second grade when we moved here, but started the school year when we arrived in February, at that point all of the second graders knew how to write in cursive and that was all that they were supposed to use, so she sat down and taught herself how to write in cursive in one week! What a trooper!

I need to tell you about how the Costa Rican mind works, because it is fascinating, but per the posts' title, that will be "Chunk #2."

more soon.
Penny

here we are!

2009-02-11T17:11:00.025-06:00

I stumbled across my first blog in the months before the presidential election, as I was trying to get more information on the republican vice presidential candidate. I was fascinated by how many people world over were communicating with each other, and was impressed by the thoughtful and diverse comments. I moved onto blogs about Alaskan politics,my favorite is the mud flats, I then unearthed Costa Rican blogs and discovered very eloquent and funny writers who are gamely sharing their lives with others.

We have been in Costa Rica for one year, and have loved just about every minute of our time here! I needed this past year to decompress from some challenging years in the states, so I've kept to myself and concentrated my energy on helping our family to settle into our new life. As I near fifty, I am more particular about how I expend my resources, and up until recently, have not been up for much socializing.

I am married to an incredible optimist, with boundless energy, and a devotion to his family that melts my heart! He is in the food service industry, so he needs to tap into that energy source constantly. I'm a few years older than my man, so I am learning how to balance parenting young children while my body and psyche are moving right ahead with perimenopause! I have taught enrichment classes for babies/toddlers/preschoolers/kindergartners, and their parents in the Lake Tahoe area for 15 years. I hope to offer these classes to local schools in the near future, as there seems to be a strong desire by Costa Ricans to expose their young children to English.

We have an eighteen year old son attending university in the states, a nine year old daughter and a six year old son. They attended private Catholic bilingual school last year in the mountains above Heredia, and will attend another private school this year near our home in Grecia, as we have relocated across the central valley. Our daughter spent a year in a Spanish immersion program in a public school in Northern California, so she has had an easier time of communicating and learning the language. Her pronunciation is incredible, and she is a huge help as I feebly attempt to speak Spanish!

We first lived in the hills above Heredia. The quiet mountain community appealed to us, as the weather seemed closer to what we had known in Tahoe. We found a non-working farm on about 10 acres, complete with an established vegetable garden, fruit orchard, dairy, chicken coop, naturalized areas, a five bedroom house and lots of room for the kids to play and roam! Our neighbor/caretaker of the property was a wonderful man who joyfully shared his and his family's life with us, letting the the kids "work" with him as he tended his cows, bulls, chickens and vegetable gardening. He had a beautiful oxcart and two magnificent bulls. He often used them for collecting cut grass, cultivating, and proudly paraded them in every nearby celebration. It was such a treat to hear the wooden wheels coming down the dirt driveway in front of the house, and we would all run our to greet them! Everyone told us how cold and windy it was up in the mountains, and of course we poo-pooed them, but living in the cloud forest is not for us! We realized that we didn't have to be bundled up inside looking out at the fog and sideways rain, we needed to embrace our new home and enjoy the fine weather for goodness sake! It is spectacular in those mysterious cloud forest communities, but we need sun to survive and thrive. There will be a long rainy season ahead, but a few degrees warmer, and perhaps just little less fog will be easily survivable.

My husband was driving to San Jose, which was only thirty minutes, but is helping out friends in Alajuela now, and the commute has become overwhelming. I began looking for a rental in Sarchi, Atenas and Grecia area. We lucked into securing a terrific smaller home on a almost two acres with a pool, soccer field, rancho, basketball court and beautiful manicured grounds with lots of fruit trees! This is great, because I am not a clean freak, and I much prefer spending time outside in the garden! Since we moved in a month ago, we've learned about palm tree and pool maintenance (which is new to us) and have been just chillin' in our little paradise.

I want to share some of the many things I love about our adopted home....blue crowned mot-mots-toucans-parrots and kiskadees visiting the yard each day, the dish soap in tubs formulated for cold water, delicious local produce, people always out getting exercise, teachers showing love to their students, umbrellas, constant celebrating of anything and everything, picnicking and families on Sundays, stick it in the ground...it grows, frog-night bird and cricket sounds at night, floating on the Caribbean ocean, not many Ticos are stressed-just the gringos, paying bills at the grocery store or bank, a reverence for children, women embrace their figures-without self consciousness, ropa Americana stores( CR thrift shops,) ceviche, fresh fruit smoothies year-round, learning patience, older couples holding hands, homes kept so neat and tidy, having bird of paradise-gardenias-ginger-heliconias-hydrangeas and all the magnificent others that grace our yard, color in unlikely places, our dogs, kind-considerate and conflict avoiding Ticos, our children are incredibly happy, and coffee-coffee-did I mention coffee?

Well, this is glimpse into my new life. I hope your interest is peaked and you'll return for updates.

Hasta luego