Category: Places

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With Cuban Refugees Today!

Where some of the Cubans slept at the Costa Rica Immigration, Penas Blanca.
Most are away from the border in tent camps or old school buildings.
The cans are for donations to their cause.

 Well, sort of. I traveled (Wed 30 Dec) with Walter Ramirez and others to Penas Blanca where thousands of Cuban refugees are in refugee camps near this border with Nicaragua. While the Costa Rica government has spent about $2 million housing and feeding the refugees trying to get to the United States by land, Nicaragua refuses to allow them passage in transit by bus through their country. Costa Rica plans to fly them to El Salvador to continue their bus journey through Mexico but wants them to pay for their own flight cost. And today I learned  that the U.S. Congress is finally doing something by offering to help with the cost of the flights (pretty low cost for 15 minute flight).

Okay, the reason we were there is the 90-day Visa Renewal Trip to the border which happens to be a famous or notorious border crossing now. Otherwise, our visa renewal went quickly and smoothly and we actually got back before dark, the first time in my four trips. Hoping this is my last of such trips. If I need to renew it again in March I will plan a trip to see Granada and some of the good bird-watching national parks in Nicaragua. Or I just may do that anyway!  🙂

Melvin, 2nd from left, our Nica Helper in the process & Walter in white hat.
Plus my traveling companions, 1 Canadian & 6 U.S. Expats.
At Penas Blanca, Costa Rica border crossing to Nicaragua. 

Rio Corobici where we stop for breakfast and lunch enroute.
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OTHER BLOGS FROM ATENAS or COSTA RICA

This Month’s List from Atenas Today Newsletter (Not all blogs are from Atenas! And by listing I am not recommending! Most I have not seen.):

We are providing a list of blogs that might be of interest to our readers. By providing this
information, we are not endorsing or accepting responsibility for any content found therein.
Please contact us if you have any other blogs of interest that you would like to share. These are
alphabetized for your easy reference. Please advise if you find that some blogs no longer exist.

Biolley Buzz   bcrcoffee.com
Bunky Bartlett   http://www.bestofcostarica.org
Carole Connolly   http://carolejeanscostaricacapers.com
Claudia Leon   http://photoleraclaudinha.smugmug.com/
http://straightline-cmkl.blogspot.com/
Charlie Doggett   http://costaricadecisionprocess.blogspot.com/
De La Pura Vida Costa Rica   delapuravida.com
Dennis Easters/Pure Life Development   http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/index.php/blog
Diane Miskell   http://dianascostaricablog.blogspot.com
Going Like Sixty   http://goinglikesixty.com
Julie and Rick in Costa Rica   http://julieandrickincostarica.blogspot.com/
Marietta Arce   http://marisundays.wordpress.com
Mi Chunche   michunche.com
Nadine Hays Pisani   happierthanabillionaire.com
New Life in Costa Rica   http://www.anewlifeincostarica.com/nuevo_vida/
Paul Furlong motorcycle blog   http://eyeneo.com/
Pura Vida Mommy   puravidamommy.blogspot.com
Rubiatica   rubiatica.blogspot.com
Shannon Farley   http://enchanting-costarica.com/
Somewhere In Costa Rica   http://somewhereincostarica.com
Su Espacio   http://www.suespacioatenas.blogspot.com/
The Real Costa Rica   blog.therealcostarica.com
The Very Worst Missionary   theveryworstmissionary.com
The View From Here   theviewfromherecr.blogspot.com

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My TripAdvisor Reviews Read by 61,000+!

In case you didn’t know, I write reviews of places I visit on the TripAdvisor website. I think you can see all my reviews at: http://www.tripadvisor.com/members-reviews/29charlied  try it. The address is from my member page, so hope it works for the non-member. I have mixed emotions about TripAdvisor, which is good for some things but not all. I don’t recommend it as your main trip planning source. If a hotel, lodge, park, restaurant, etc. has its own website, then your best information is going to them directly. Don’t believe the promise of big discounts from TripAdvisor. And for turnkey trips in Costa Rica I have had good experience with My Costa Rica (https://costarica.org/ ) at reasonable prices. And if you want to get acquainted with Costa Rica, the absolutely best tour of the country at the very lowest price is from Caravan.com  from $995 including all meals and hotels! And of course my friends have me as an possible personal guide or trip planner, though I don’t have the discounts these big companies have. But my advice is free!  🙂

Millions of reviews to help you
plan and book your perfect trip
Hi Charlie Doggett
Level 86 reviews 12,492 total points
Your advice has helped thousands
Charlie, 61,888 readers have read your reviews – impressive! As a leading contributor, your advice has really made its mark in our travel community. You’ve also earned a Readership badge with TripCollective. Congrats.
Good advice travels fast – so keep on sharing to see how many more travelers you can help!
Add a Review
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Christmas in San Jose Photos

Big Cities like to do everything bigger and better and San Jose, the capital and largest city in Costa Rica is no exception. See a few photos of Christmas decor and events by Tico Times:

http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/12/25/photos-christmas-2015

Tico Times photos – this of the lighting of tree at Children’s Hospital

AND MY DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS?

I’m hoping to stay home all day with no interruptions to the many things I want to do and some rest! 

WITH CHRISTMAS COMES THE WIND!
It actually started some a couple of weeks ago, but it is here full force now! I’m having to keep the sliding door screen closed and my garden door with no screen closed because so many leaves, flowers, bugs and dust blow in! This will be the norm through February or March with it getting more dusty the longer we go without rain. And if Turrialba erupts again, we will get ash or gray-black dust! That is just part of living in paradise!  🙂

And the crazy thing is that it is during this windy, sometimes dusty period that we have the most tourists and snowbirds trying to get away from cold weather up north. I think I’ve decided I like the rainy season (Jul-Oct) or “green season” better and it’s two shoulder periods (May-Jun & Oct-Nov) which have very little rain but are greener and more pleasant. So for the next 3 months or so we put up with wind, dust and snow birds! Then tranquility begins again!  🙂

And for my Canadian friends:




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día de Navidad: Jesus, Family, Friends and Food!

Christmas Morning Breakfast View
My tamales came from La Coope Supermercado, 2 to a package, 2 meals.

Here’s a recipe for making Costa Rica Christmas Tamales. (Mine didn’t have as many vegetables.)
And to watch them being made, see this YouTube video of a family making them.

I’m sure the homemade ones are better than the ones I got at the Supermercado, but to be honest, I did not care for them. Mine had very few veggies and only a small piece of pork. The cornmeal and lard wrapping is what I don’t like.To much fat and cholesterol and not that tasty. I had to add sauce. These tamales are not part of my tradition unless I find better tasting ones! And maybe a healthier version?

And some more local Christmas decorations:

Maybe typical of governments, but the city hall had one of the few secular
Christmas decoration in town plus their decorated tree in the park.
This is a very contemporary tree with reindeer of all things!
The “Municipal Building” is opposite one corner of Central Park.

And the Catholic Church in center of town had this indoor nativity
and an outdoor one with live people at certain times which I never caught.
More homes have nativities. Jesus is more popular than Santa here!
My nativity collection went fast at the silent auction earlier.

Christmas Dinner with neighbors at Hotel Colinas del Sol nearby.

There is never an excuse for being lonely here! In fact, I sometimes have to work at finding my needed solitude!  🙂

FELIZ NAVIDAD
from Charlie in Costa Rica

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Christmas Eve Anniversary! One Year in Costa Rica!

Merry Christmas from my Terrace where I added Poinsettias to a potted palm.
A cell phone selfie.

And the poinsettias, well, they grow in some people’s yards! Year around!
And most of the people are loving and Christ-like year around. Always Christmas!
And I have been here a full year on Christmas Eve!
It is home now! Pura Vida!

AND TONIGHT I DID WHAT I WAS TOO SICK TO DO LAST CHRISTMAS EVE! I went to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service and Lord’s Supper at Iglesia Biblica:

It started with some from the Spanish congregation singing two Christmas Songs in Spanish. Beautiful!
Then with the help of screens, we sang Christmas Carols, most with one verse in English & repeated in Spanish. Nice!
In between the carols the English pastor read portions of the Christmas story from Luke.

We ended with candle-lighting and singing of Silent Night.
Then to fellowship hall for punch and Christmas Cookies plus visiting.
I decided tonight to start attending regularly again, even though I still don’t care for praise bands
or all the Wednesday night Bible studies (too complicated to explain).
But I need the Christian fellowship!

And now that I am home it is noisy with Christmas eve celebrations around town. There are two competing concerts or singers plus fireworks. And last night it was a soccer match celebration. These are partying people here! Any excuse will work for a party!  🙂

I Wish You A Happy Christmas!

“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
‘Maybe Christmas’ he thought, ‘doesn’t come from a store…
Maybe Christmas perhaps… means a little bit more!'”
– Dr. Seuss


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VIP Star Wars in Costa Rica!

 A STAR WARS Christmas Present . . .

Me and Jason with BB-8 at theater.

One of my Spanish language helpers, Jason Quesada in Atenas, has so far not accepted payment by the hour, just lunches, etc. So for his Christmas gift, regalo de Navidad, I took him with me by bus to Alajuela to see his first ever Star Wars movie. Hard to imagine not having the background of 6 previous movies, but he enjoyed it and I guess the plot kind of stands alone with me giving him a little background on who some of the characters are and a little of what happened in the past.

The new theater is nicer than any I have been to in the States! I bought our tickets electronically with a credit card at kiosk out front not knowing what “Premier” meant, but I chose it because the sound tract was in English with Spanish subtitles. I’m not yet ready for the one with Spanish voices dubbed in.

VIP TREATMENT IN LUXURY!
Well we were both shocked! When we gave the ticket taker our tickets he did not point or give directions to our theater but personally escorted us to the Premier door and introduced us to a hostess.

We entered the VIP private lounge area with restaurant as well as usual movie snacks and luxurious seats around little tables and a bar with bar stools. We were given a menu with a great selection including alcoholic drinks and told we could take the menu to our seats and they would come take our order. Shucks! We had already gotten popcorn and cokes at the regular people snack stand in main lobby. So we decided we might eat lunch in the lounge after the movie.

Then our hostess led us up a short flight of stairs to the Premier Balcony with giant lounge chairs with electronic controls to lift the foot rest or lean back and a little fold out table for food in addition to the built-in drink holder. Wide aisles and lots of space for the recliners! She checked on us twice during the movie to see if we needed anything. Wow! I can’t wait to go back and order from my seat or eat lunch during a movie! But lunch in the lounge after the movie was great too! This is livin!

One little corner of the mall just outside the theater with one of about 6 3-story Christmas Trees. No shopping for me today.
They have finished widening the street out front which helps traffic! The snow park is open outside and
an amusement park is on the roof with a giant Ferris Wheel seen as you drive up. Amazing!
It is the largest mall in Costa Rica and second largest in Central America. (One in Panama a tad larger.)
On the bus ride home I told Jason I really meant to get all 6 of the previous Star Wars movies and watch before seeing this latest sequel. But Netflix does not have and the down-streaming ones on Amazon.com are $16 each (if you order all 6) plus their site said they would not work on my browser if I understood the crazy information right. So I gave up. Jason asked, “Did you try our video store across from the ball fields?” I hadn’t, so we walked by it on our way home from the bus station.  This young man has everything! He had all 6 at about the equivalent of $1.15 each but it would be a few minutes because he had to make copies of number 5 & 6. We waited and I expect to enjoy on my computer the whole Star War series now! Legal? Well. . . just a friend giving me a copy of his DVD.  🙂  Reminds me of the video stores in The Gambia! And we will see what the quality is like.

See also Christianity Today’s online article titled: Why We Get Religious About ‘Star Wars’

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The Trees Are Our Friends!

A new sign just appeared alongside
the road I walk to Roca Verde, Calle 8

The rough Google translation to English:

The trees are our friends, always await us in the same place. 


ADECA

 
ADECA is an acrostic for a conservation group in the Atenas area. Like many acronyms, there can be other meanings like it is also the initials for a commercial organization in Costa Rica that produces business yellow pages and another for a small artist group. But this is obviously the conservation group! Long live the trees! Some of my favorite friends! And here is just one . . .



My kitchen window friend!
 
 

 

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Hooded Mantis in the Dark!

A Hooded Mantis appeared in the dark
at my last dinner at Rancho Naturalista
No good photos possible

But what was more entertaining was the group from Denmark on their first night at the lodge. They scrambled all over the dining terrace trying to get photos of this little guy! IN THE DARK! It was funny and of course none of my photos are good, but here’s the experience anyway! 

They tried so hard they kept scaring the little bug around the terrace.
Hope some of them got good photos! 

For about two minutes dinner was controlled
by a Hooded Mantis

4% of World’s Species Live in Costa Rica!

“Costa Rica supports an enormous variety of wildlife, due in large part to its geographic position between the North and South American continents, its neotropical climate, and its wide variety of habitats. Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, which represents nearly 4% of the total species estimated worldwide, making Costa Rica one of the 20 countries with the highest biodiversity in the world. Of these 500,000 species, a little more than 300,000 are insects.”      ~WIKIPEDIA

Photo of one of the many Anthurium flowers growing at Rancho Naturalista, one of my fave get-a-ways now!
I was so excited about all the new birds there that I failed to say much about the flowers which were beautiful!

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Here, Jesus More Popular than Santa!

Nativities are everywhere! Usually called Pasito or Portal here.
Other Spanish names are Nacimiento, Belén, and Pesebre.

I like living where Jesus is more popular than Santa Claus! Though Christmas Trees are around in a few places, especially commercial places, they don’t believe in Santa Claus but rather the baby Jesus, el niño or el niñito who brings some of the Christmas gifts for young children. Read this neat article in Tico Times.  For where gifts come from, Santa is 3rd place after Jesus & Parents in a survey of children!

Tree in Central Park Atenas
Not much! Not a priority!  🙂

It is a religious society and the people even live like followers of Christ! I’m trying not to compare to the States where most of my readers live, but it is tempting!   🙂  The people here are wonderful!

And I do plan to eat at least one tamale this Christmas, a very strong tradition here!

Feliz Navidad!