Tag: CoopeAtenas

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Simple Pleasure 3: Sidewalk Cafe at Coopeatenas

At the entrance to my favorite Supermercado is this little sidewalk cafe
for excellent coffee & pastries (Banana Nut Bread my favorite) and
the best deal on ice cream in town! Half the price of POPS Ice Cream Shop.
That’s my coffee and carrot cake at the first table with my shopping bags.
I walk to here and mostly walk home, unless big load/rain, then a taxi
Coopeatenas is the farmers’ cooperative super market & farm store out back

And fun, friendly Ticas behind the counter with Santa on the Cash Register!
Helados is ice cream. They have sandwiches too! And Gourmet Coffee!
Many of their bakery items are from Crema y Nata, my favorite bakery.

And that cash register sign says in literal English translation: 

order, cancel, and remove your order here

Of course you know that “cancel” means “pay” and “remove” is like “pick up”
This same sign is in most “fast food” restaurants, called “cafetería” here.

“I wish I could show you the little village where I was born. It’s so lovely there…I used to think it too small to spend a life in, but now I’m not so sure.” ― Mary Kelly

Yep! That’s me! I was born in Warren, Arkansas, a small farming town like Atenas, Costa Rica and never thought I would ever live there again! Now I do sorta – well, here it’s coffee instead of tomato farms and Alajuela Province is a lot different from Arkansas and Costa Rica is another world from the states. But I do live in a small town again!  🙂

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What to do with your backpack?

CONVENIENCE OR SECURITY?

Many major stores provide free lockers right inside the front door for you to secure your packages from other stores or your backpack or other big bag which makes shopping easier for you and gives them a little more security from shoplifting, which I understand seldom happens here.

This photo is of lockers at my primary supermarket, Coopeatenas, where I have left packages or my backpack, but not always. They do not require you to. And sometimes I use my backpack to carry my groceries. I’ve read that in Grecia most stores require you to check your bags. That is usually not the case in small town Atenas. People are mostly trusting of each other. The only store requiring it here is El Rayo, our “Dollar Store” with cheap Chinese stuff. Guess people shoplift cheap stuff! 🙂

I used this one at Coope today for a package from another shop and my umbrella. 

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Full Service Gasolinera!

The one and only gas station in Atenas! A part of the farmers’ cooperative
in front of their Mercado where I buy most of my groceries, Coopeatenas.

I have only used it two times during the couple of weeks I had a rent car. It is straight out of one of those 1950’s Texaco TV ads where the attendant runs up to your car as soon as you pull in, asking what kind of gas you want and if you want your fluids checked. Then while the tank is filling, he washes your windshield. The way gas stations were meant to operate. Only the well-off have cars here. Most people walk and ride taxis and buses.

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A Typical Day?

Ate lunch around the corner from these trees at the Catholic Church Atenas

There probably is no such thing as a “typical” day in anyone’s life, never-the-less mine! But this relaxed Monday in Atenas, Costa Rica seems worth reporting as almost one for me.

As always, I was awakened early by the birds singing, but stayed in bed until about 6:30 when I got up for a shower, breakfast of fresh fruit, nuts, cereal, and some Costa Rica Coffee, while overlooking a vista of the Atenas Valley and mountains, and watching birds in my trees. I put all the trash in one big bag making it easier to take to the gate and put in our big metal basket where we place only bagged trash for pickup.

With a backpack of Spanish learning materials, sunglasses, and my Panama Hat today (David calls it my “bonita sombrero.”) I walk the 1.1 mile under a sunny blue sky at around 80 degrees to my Spanish class in town. It is always a fun 2+ hours with two new students today and the temporary loss of others who are traveling for awhile. After class I walk back to my old apartments, Hacienda La Jacaranda, to return two cups I accidentally packed with my stuff and pick up my last electric bill there.

Then I walk to the center of town to the Post Office to see if a letter has arrived that was sent 4 weeks ago from the states. It has not. Make a note to tell people to use the Miami PO Box to get mail to me quicker! Then two blocks away (or here we would say 200 meters) to the Vargas & Sons Hardware for a couple of items I need for the house. Then I decide to eat lunch out today since I have not in awhile, preparing most of my meals at home. I was going to try a new place but it is closed on Monday, so I go to my old standby Tico restaurant, La Carreta.

For a little over $5 I get a casado (plate lunch) of fish, beans, rice, mixed veggies, and instead of my usual green salad, I choose the Picadillo de vainica y zanahoria, (right click on site for English Translation) always liking to try something new and it was great! Its a green beans and carrots relish or salad with delicious seasoning, my favorite item on the plate today. As always here, the meal was served on a banana leaf in a tray. But of course that was not all for this sweet tooth guy! For just the second time for me I ordered a Lechemulla which is their version of the Horchata rice & milk drink, but they use vanilla ice cream instead of milk which adds to the cinnamon flavoring and wow is it good! During all this delicious eating, I’m both watching people walk down the street and reading more in the lengthy Lord of the Rings book. I finished both the Happier than a Billionaire books which were fun, but I’ve had enough of Nadine & Rob for awhile! And yes, the Rings books are heavy and lengthy, but also some great writing and story-telling! My Kindle Fire says the typical reading time for it is 27 hours and I’m about half-way through.

Then I walk all the way back past Su Espacio, where my Spanish class took place, to CoopeAtenas supermarket for my little shopping list and pay the electric bill. While finishing there it begins to rain really hard. So I call a cab for the trip home with enough groceries that walking would have been tough anyway. It was about $2 for the taxi.

It was a good long rain, more than usual, that I’m sure made my new flower garden happy. Sun is shining now. After writing this, I have some bookkeeping to do, then  may read or try to photograph birds from the balcony or walk with camera through the neighborhood. By then a sunset snack and more reading or time on the computer before bed. I haven’t watched a single TV show here and no Netflix movies since moving to new house. Real life is more fun! Plus I’m working on three different books and about to have my shipped boxes delivered, so never a dull moment! And I have done very little of the traveling around Costa Rica I expected to be doing by now. Maybe soon!

I’m looking at the Strangler Fig Tree outside my office window and continue to be amazed that I really am living in Costa Rica! It is not paradise or perfect by any means, but it brings me more joy and relaxation than any place I have ever lived. The rain just cooled it off, the birds are singing happily while I smile and think to myself what a wonderful decision it was to move to Costa Rica! Pura Vida!

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New, Relaxed Rhythmn

“URBAN FOREST” is the tighter view from my apartment. Noon shot, still too bright!

I’m now sleeping from 9 at night until 6:30 or so each morning, with the window open and a blanket. I get up to birds singing and the cooing of a mourning dove just like most mornings in The Gambia. A warm shower under that wonderful big shower head and on to my breakfast with the views out the front window. Then I take a cup of tea or coffee out front and watch birds fly over and sometimes chat with a neighbor. Even though there are some management/maintenance issues here (like we had at McKendree), I doubt I can find a better location and view anywhere for the price, so I may be here a good while. We will see how the move upstairs works out and the broken a/c.

Yesterday morning by 8:30 I walk to the closest Super Mercado, Coopeatenas, for a few items I carry in my backpack. (Sometimes I carry an extra grocery bag or two. They are much stronger here because so many walk). Yep! It was New Year’s Day, few were at the market that early and I sat in their outdoor cafe with a cup of cafe negro and a pastry or piece of cake which was so delicious! My first coffee since arriving. While sick I drank only tea in morning.

This morning after the breakfast & usual front yard experience, a new neighbor couple from Canada, Gary & Carmella, said they were going to get a chip in their phone which is exactly what I had set as my goal for today. I walked with them to ICE where you go through security to get in, take number to be served and wait. Today they had only one agent who spoke English, so I had to get passed from one to her. Then in just a few minutes (with my passport), a new sim card and Kolbi phone service, the biggest service company here (government run). My phone number is 506-8410-9916. The country code is the 506. It only cost $2 to set up my service and I just have to buy minutes as needed, which can be done at all super markets and many little shops. I will mainly use it when I need to call a cab or occasionally set up an appointment or get information. It will not control me. But I can still use Google Calendar when I have wifi service like in the apartment and yes, text messages too! Not sure what international calls will cost, but I have Skype for that. I just learned that I can recharge my phone online & just did. Check!

Then for mid-morning relaxation (Gary & Carmella had errands to run) I walked around the central park by the big church and checked out La Carretta, a restaurant I had been reading about. They serve all three meals daily, but are known for their free lending library set up by an expat couple from Florida. I went in for a fruit empanada and a cup of coffee. Nice again! Then I walk around the different rooms (an old house) to see all the books that are free for the taking and you don’t even have to sign them out. It is an honor system. One room of Spanish books, two of English books plus one room of children’s books. Then what was really neat is that the sponsoring couple were there, Linda & Bruce, and I got to visit with them for awhile. He was measuring for some more shelves in the Spanish Room that he will build. The restaurant also has local art work hanging on the walls. It will become one of my hangouts.

I also checked out the Three Sisters Soda at the Bus Station Mercado (recommended by a neighbor) where I will eat a casada (plate lunch) for lunch some day, but it was too early this morning. I have already stopped at the Pops Ice Cream on another day at one corner of the park and will eventually try Gelly’s Jardin which is a gelato place I think. And still haven’t just sat on a park bench in the central park. Some towns call this their central plaza, but not here. They call it “Central Park.” I’m learning! Like Coopeatenas Super Mercado is just called “The Coop” or “El Coope.”

Walked back to apartment for lunch. I made a big Dagwood Ham Sandwich on whole grain bread with fresh lettuce, tomato and onion. Then fresh pineapple and papaya for desert. This is living! While writing I have been watching a big pot of veggie soup cook with all fresh vegetables I got from the farmer who drives up to the apartments once a week. Easier than going to the big farmers’ market which has moved out  of downtown. I have no recipe and haven’t made soup in more than 20 years but I just tasted it and think it’s pretty good! Thank goodness for those little jars of mixed herbs you can get even here!  🙂 Today’s soup will last several meals beyond dinner and was made of potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, red bell peppers, and a little cucumber which may have never been included before, but I have ’em and like ’em in anything!

PARDON the long, post today! But I think some of you are interested in daily life here and this is some of it. Of course I did not mention that I listened to a Spanish CD during lunch and that I’m about to do my daily Babbel Online Spanish Class and that I’m of course on computer typing this! Plus I have found a local Spanish class, Su Espacio, which I will enroll in Monday morning along with at least one neighbor in the apartments, Jean Pierre, who will be in his second class there. Adios! Buenos noches!