Cotton Candy Clouds
Poro Tree
Erythrina Poeppigiana tree, commonly called Poro Extranjero, Poro Gigante, or Mountain Immortelle |
This beautiful flowering tree on my left horizon beyond the tennis courts was commonly planted on Coffee Plantations where coffee grew well in their shade. Atenas is coffee plantation land. The orange blossoms can come anytime between December and April. I’m thankful that I can see one from my house but be aware that I zoomed in on it with a 300 mm lens. It is across the river in someone else’s yard! In Costa Rica we have to settle for views like this while you guys up north enjoy your snow! 🙂 Today is partly sunny and 77° in Atenas.
“We are changing the road map of Costa Rica.”
‘Men At Work” |
From dirt ditch to a new spillway from road down to our River Cajon, a new waterfall for us during rainy season. |
Moving on past the apartments |
“We are changing the road map of Costa Rica” is what one of the construction work signs says on the road in front of our apartments. Or actually “Estamos cambiando el mapa vial de Costa Rica.”
They have been repaving the road, improving the drainage ditches and other infrastructure for weeks now between us and downtown. So my sandals and shoes have sticky tar and my face wrinkles from all the smiles as I walk past the stopped cars waiting their turn through the one lane of traffic. I smile and say “Buenas!” which is the new shortened version of “Buenas Dias!”
Well, today it begin to pass our place and will soon be up the hill toward Mercedes and we will be less aware of the “changing road map!” But I really like the improvements and especially the big concreted drainage channel by the bridge to the river along side our apartments! In rainy season, a fifth waterfall for us!
There are too many cars for such a small town – the price of progress I guess – and that makes me even more glad I am walking!
Live simple and enjoy life! – My new mantra!
All photos by my cellphone. Click on the image to enlarge.
Eating Very Well!
View from my table at Gelly’s for lunch one day last week. |
Today I had a most wonderful (and different) Chicken Salad for lunch at El Mejor Clima del Mundo (The Best Climate in the World) Bar & Restaurant while a friend had a drink and we talked. ($6) The other day I ate with two of my Canadian friends at Bella Italiano and found a second place for a great pizza! Would you believe, there are at least 4 pizza places here, though Bella Italiano also has pasta and other foods. Sunday I ate at La Carreta for their special “Hamburguesa” that includes the works plus ham and two cheeses! I can eat lunch for $5 to $6 easily, but sometimes splurge for more. Deserts are still my downfall! And these wonderful “Batidos” or Smoothies like guanabana, pineapple, mango, papaya, strawberry, blackberry! Always made with fresh fruit in a blender.
Optimist or Pessimist?
How I Know I’m in Costa Rica
Peacock photographed at Rescate Animal Zooave – More about it tomorrow. |
ELEVEN REASONS I KNOW I’M IN COSTA RICA
- The first week I used the washing machine and microwave with my Spanish-English Dictionary in one hand!
- People write emails of concern when I go 4 days without a blog post. (And Thanks!)
- I use Google Translate to write out questions and directions for bus drivers and taxi drivers before I leave for a trip! And still they don’t always understand me!
- Then when I still get lost or have trouble finding my bus stop there is always a friendly Tico to help me out. Like today a worker from Zooave stood out front with me to make sure I got on the right bus back to Atenas – Then when the bus zoomed by without stopping, he called the cab for me since after an hour I was tired of waiting. Still don’t quite have Tico patience yet!
- I’m averaging about 5 miles of walking per day with much of it uphill and feeling great!
- Have I mentioned that everything is in Spanish and I am still in Beginner 1.1 Spanish? Unlike the tourist towns where it pays locals to know English, a farming community has no motivation to learn English. (Can you imagine a farming community in Tennessee learning Spanish because a few migrant workers live there?) So communication is still the biggest challenge!
- I’m eating more fresh fruit and veggies than ever in my life and feeling great!
- I’m in shorts and T-shirt all day every day while sleeping under a comforter with the windows open at night.
- I already have two visits from Nashville scheduled on my calendar and I’ve only been here 4 weeks! And I’m excited about both! Though a little nervous about the first group that includes two Nashville restaurant owners who want me to take them to one of my little farm town restaurants. But . . . I think they’ll like it! 🙂
- The word I hear most often from the maintenance man here is “manana.”
- Today a letter was slipped under my door addressed to “Senor Charles Doggett, Apartado #3.”
Melodious Blackbird
Farmers’ Market Today
Best place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables! |
I walked to the Central Park (where the weekly Farmers’ Market used to be on a street downtown)
but has now moved to a big pavilion outside of town with a big parking lot for all the rich Americans to park their SUVs. Like while I was in The Gambia, I continue to be embarrassed to be an American.
Atenas Friday Farmers’ Market |
Us Poor People Road the Free Shuttle Bus to Farmers’ Market |
There was going to be a long wait for the shuttle after I finished shopping, so I splurged and took a taxi to my door for $3.
Groove-billed Ani
Groove-billed Ani, Atenas, Costa Rica by Charlie Doggett |
This is an exciting new spotting for me – my first to photograph and right off my balcony around 6:30 PM! At first I thought it was a Smooth-billed Ani, but now see the grooves + smooth-billed only appear in the South Pacific area of Costa Rica. So I came back in November and changed this name.