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Though masks are still required in all public places, rebellious teens often shed them after school and are now socializing after school in Central Park. The other day I sat on one of the concrete benches around the modern circular Kiosk and watched some high schoolers getting together around this and other areas of the park. Here’s 3 shots of teens and 1 of a little kid . . . 🙂
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| Basilica of Our Lady of the Mercedes The primary Catholic Church in Palmares, Costa Rica One of very few in Costa Rica of stone, built 1894-1914 |
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| Basilica of Our Lady of the Mercedes Palmares, Costa Rica |
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| Palmares Central Park is Partly a Tropical Garden Palmares, Costa Rica |
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| Unlike a lot of towns’ central parks Palmares, Costa Rica |
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| But also has the traditional sidewalks, benches & band shelter Palmares, Costa Rica |
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| Some high school kids came dressed for a church festival Palmares, Costa Rica |
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| Including their band! Palmares, Costa Rica |
Palmares is a 50 minute bus ride north from Atenas over one of the most winding mountain roads near us and a beautiful drive through something like the Appalachian or Ozark Mountains to this cowboy town where the biggest Tope (horse parade) happens once a year. It is much bigger than Atenas with 31,000+ plus people.
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| Terminal Buses Carbachez Palmares, Costa Rica |
This reminded me of the nice one I used in Turrialba. There are many competing bus companies in Costa Rica and they build their own terminals, not shared with other companies. Think of the old competition between Greyhound and Trailways in the states. This station is for Carbachez buses. Had I come here on one of our CoopeAtenas Buses, I would have gone to a different terminal that is not as nice. And I left from a third terminal to go to Alajuela. It was clean, but smaller and not as nice as the one above.
I did a Trip Gallery with these photos and two are also in my Costa Rica Churches gallery
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| El Pingüino is a landmark on my side of town. It is a very small corner grocery store called pulpería or mini-super It looks like a store in front but it is also their home, living in the back. Atenas, Costa Rica |
How cool is it to have a little corner store called “The Penguin” in a tropical climate country where no native has ever seen a penguin? And it is the front part of their house! Or attached to their house. Plus it is 2 blocks from one public high school/middle school and 1.5 blocks from one public elementary school. Needless to say they have more student customers than anyone, selling lots of cold drinks an snack food! But they are better stocked for real food than another similar home store closer to me, though I still prefer the supermercado! There are many of these little corner stores all over town and probably many are in homes. No strict zoning codes or laws here! 🙂 Atenas is a really cool place to live!
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| El Pingüino Store entrance on corner. White addition on right is a rental apartment. The owner’s home is also attached to the left, seen in next photo. Also notice a mother walking daughter home from primary school. Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| El Pingüino Owner’s home is light green, attached to left behind white metal fence. These boys are at a school with a “no uniform day” today. Rare! Or out of school, especially the boy in shorts! No shorts in school! Atenas, Costa Rica |