Tag: hills

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Driving Into the Hills of Atenas

As with any good coffee farming town, Atenas is in the hills below the big mountains and away from the plains of the big city of San Jose. Yesterday as my taxista drove me back home from a doctor appointment in the city, I cellphone-snapped these photos of the approaching hills as we neared Atenas. No great photos but they bear testimony of the terrain of my little pueblo.

The Hills of Atenas Costa Rica from Ruta 27.
The Hills of Atenas Costa Rica from Ruta 27.
The Hills of Atenas Costa Rica from Ruta 27.
And by the time we were at my house, the clouds had moved in for the afternoon rain. 🙂

“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.”

~John Muir

¡Pura Vida!

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“The Best Art”

“Land really is the best art.”

—Andy Warhol
  • Land as Art
  • Land as Art
  • Land as Art
  • Land as Art
The Hills Surrounding, Atenas, Costa Rica from my terrace.

“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.”

– John Muir

¡Pura Vida!

The four photos today were made on the last two mornings, 2-each, from my terrace of some of the hills surrounding Atenas Pueblo in Alajuela Province, Costa Rica. You can see more of my Terrace Vistas in that linked gallery or go for all the many different CR Vistas. 🙂

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Hills of Atenas

Here I zoom in on the hills northwest of Atenas as seen at three levels from my terrace.

The Broad View

First glance as I walk out on my terrace.

Zoom Level 1

Focusing in on Centro Atenas and hills West/Northwest of town.

Zoom Level 2

Using a telephoto lens on the distant hills of Atenas.

This was the last post I did in advance of my surgery, hoping to be back online by today! 🙂

¡Pura Vida!

And then there are the Atenas Galleries.

🙂

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I Keep Shooting the Hills

I never get tired of photographing the hills across our little valley and just keep trying to make a different image or view of the same hills I see daily. I would prefer them without the cell phone towers, but the modern society would argue that they are absolutely necessary! 🙂 Debatable! 🙂

If you like hills too, you might also like my CR Vistas Gallery.

¡Pura Vida!

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Green

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.

~Pedro Calderon de la Barca

 

Featured Photo: Zoomed in on surrounding hills, Atenas.

“Rainy Season” = “Green Season”

My Galleries:  Flora & Forest  or  Vistas

¡Pura Vida!

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At Home in the Mountains

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity…”       ~John Muir

 

Panorama photo of the hills of Atenas from my terrace in Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica, by Charlie Doggett. For more see my Vistas photo gallery.

 

¡Pura Vida!

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A Country Adventure in My Front Yard – Calle Nueva

A pastoral vista like this sometimes requires a trip far away from a busy town, yet I found this one
maybe 500 meters from my house as the crow flies and maybe twice as far walking the streets to this spot.
Calle Nueva, Atenas Costa Rica

 

The cow pasture across the street from my house.
A stream runs under that row of trees on opposite side.
On the other side of the stream and to the left is a little known street,
Calle Nueva, Atenas Costa Rica

 

First I walk into town on Avenida 8 and turn left on Calle 1
making another left turn at next street, Avenida 10 for 2 blocks
where I walk past our technical high school above.
The pavement stops just past the school  and I’m on a gravel road called
Calle Nueva, Atenas Costa Rica

 

It is so cool to suddenly be in the country! Past Roca Verde it becomes a dirt road going on to Rio Grande village.
Calle Nueva, Atenas Costa Rica

 

After 200 or 300 meters on a rise you see Roca Verde up ahead, those roofs.
Before I saw this, I saw the pastoral scene photo above, my opening photo.
Calle Nueva, Atenas Costa Rica

 

 

 

Then down that hill to a bridge behind the Roca Verde duplex facing the pasture.
That house is about one block from my house!
But seen here from behind on
Calle Nueva, Atenas Costa Rica

 

The little stream opposite the cow pasture in front of my house.
Which the above bridge crosses over behind the duplex.
Calle Nueva, Atenas Costa Rica

 

At the foot of the bridge I snap this shot of the cow pasture in front of my house from the backside.
The duplex and two single family houses are to the right of those shrubs, all facing the cow pasture.
Calle Nueva, Atenas, Costa Rica
It is fun to discover back roads anywhere and especially when they are this close to where you live! Eventually I will walk the entire road to the village of Rio Grande which is at the intersection of our Radial Atenas (Calle 0) and entrance to Ruta 27, the expressway that comes by Atenas. The day I walked this road (New Years Day) there were other walkers and several bicycles, so it is already a known recreational “greenway” if you please!  🙂  In the mountains or hills of Atenas.
I walked the road up past several Roca Verde houses and noticed at least 3 had back pedestrian gates into this greenway and even met a couple who walked out of one that they are renting for 6 weeks. I got as far as where the gravel turned to dirt and turned around because it was also uphill. But next time I will try to go all the way to Rio Grande and maybe get a taxi back. I like my newly discovered “greenway” which I had heard of earlier, but just now exploring for the first time.
It is impossible to overestimate the value of wild mountains 
and mountain temples as places for people to grow in, 
recreation grounds for soul and body. 

–JOHN MUIR, US naturalist, 1838—1914

 

 See the Photo Gallery Walking Calle nueva

 

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Zarcero – The TOWN/AREA

Farming Hills Surround Zarcero
 Zarcero, Costa Rica

Farming Hills Surround Zarcero 
 Zarcero, Costa Rica

Farming Hills Surround Zarcero 
 Zarcero, Costa Rica
Church & Central Park Topiaries are in Center of Town
 Zarcero, Costa Rica

They were setting up for a carnival/fiesta this day
 Zarcero, Costa Rica

Repaving Main Street
 Zarcero, Costa Rica
Cogwheel or Assassin Bug (Arilus carinatus)  
 on Steps of the Church 
 If I had a side view, the dotted line on his back 
 would be the top of a half-cogwheel. Cool!
 Zarcero, Costa Rica

This trip was made by public bus for about USD $4 
with some cellphone photos made through bus window.

 “Trip Gallery” now on my gallery site: 12 October – Zarcero
Or if you like the unusual bug above, see my:  Other Insects
And for a sneak preview of tomorrow’s post, see my trip gallery: 
Cuban Dancers doing “Swan Lake” in Costa Rica
Coming soon: Visit to Naranjo by next week  
  & in November Villa Blanca Cloud Forest.
From the traveling retiree in Costa Rica!
¡Pura Vida!

“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. 
I travel for travel’s sake. 
The great affair is to move.” 


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Walking the Hills & Valleys of Atenas, Costa Rica

Looking down on Central Atenas & the Central Church
Atenas, Costa Rica

But just the hills on the backside of my neighborhood are a “Feast for My Eyes!”
Early morning fog reminds me of the presence of the Holy Spirit. What a place to walk!
Atenas, Costa Rica
A couple of cellphone shots made this morning on my walk over the hill in Roca Verde. Stay tuned for a change of scenery as I fly to the Caribbean Coast tomorrow morning. ¡Pura Vida!
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Neighborhood Pastoral

One of my favorite views when I walk through the neighborhood.

And of course it immediately reminds me of Psalm 50:10

. . . for every animal of the forest is Mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.

 Psalm 50:10, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Today I went to church with a Tico friend and after church I went to a Tico restaurant with two Tico friends instead of going to the gringo restaurant with a bunch of gringos! I feel good! And my finger is healing very rapidly! Sufrexal is a miracle drug! It causes new skin to grow!