perros y playas

Beaches and dogs (actually beaches and bitches alliterates better) - two of my favorites things in life.

por fin

It's been too long since I've been in Costa Rica now, and I'm sick of posting photos of a place where I'd rather be. I'll post some beach photos tonight, finally (por fin). I had to save the beautiful beaches for last. The photos don't do them justice. This is Manzanillo, which is 12 km east of Puerto Viejo.

what chocolate comes from

This is a cacao. When you crack it open it is full of little seeds covered in a delicious, sweet, white, pulpy material. Sucking this off the seed is such a treat. Then you're left with a bunch of cacao seeds. These - after much processing - become chocolate. As far as I know, the white puply treat isn't used for anything. So unless someone devours it, it goes to waste. So sad.

a visit to santo domingo

The best part about visiting places where you used to live is seeing old friends. Kathy, an old classmate from UCR, lives in Santo Domingo de Heredia, and I could not wait to see her. Since I've left Costa Rica, Kathy hasn't missed my birthday. Every March 6 I get a call on my cell from an "unknown" number, and I know it's Costa Rica calling. Her thoughtfulness and patience with my Spanish are two of the many reasons why I call her mi mejor amiga tica.



A cup of tea is always better when shared with a friend, ecspecially while speaking Spanglish.

randoms

Sitting in Chile Rojo - my favorite restaurant in Puerto Viejo - you can hear the waves gently hit the sand and rocks that make up the coast in the small, Caribbean town. The Chile Rojo calls itselt "Thai, Vegetarian, Middle Eastern and Fresh Fish." Their peanut skewers and cocnut steamed rice make my mouth water, ecspecially after gallo pinto, gallo pinto, gallo pinto - the unofficial national dish of the country.



We also took the time to take three buses and a pirata - illegal taxi - to get to Doka Estate. It's a working coffee plantation that calls itself "the real coffee tour." They sell beans to Starbucks, lots of them. It was a beautiful place. One thing to note, in Costa Rica they grow coffee in clumps of two as opposed to single plants. This method allows the country to have a higher coffee density and, therefore, grow and sell more coffee.



While waiting for one of the three buses we took up to Doka, these kids noticed my camera and me. They decided to appropriately ham it up. Thanks, guys ;-)

kilometers of fun

One of my favorite parts of my Costa Rican trip was our bike ride down the Caribbean coast. We rode 12 kilometers each way and stopped at a few different beaches. On the way my monkey brother saw fit to pick some bananas. Unfortunately, they were not bananas for eating. Little black seeds packed the inside of the fruit. Not so good for eating. So he was left with his black bean sandwich with no sides.

casa tica

This is my brother's home in Cedros. He can walk to the University in 20 minutes, and he's about a 25 minute bus ride from downtown San José. He is fortunate to live with a wonderful family. They even have a dog named Tiza (Chalk in English). In a strange way, I miss the beautiful gates around the homes in Costa Rica. Anyone who can make security measures pretty deserves props.

dead [crab] meat

Noticed this casualty just east of the Caribbean beach town called Puerto Viejo.

goodbye, costa rica

I said, "Goodbye, goodbye," and then flew up into the sky. After nine days in Costa Rica, I was sad to leave the people and the spirit of the country but comforted to know my bed would be waiting for me at the other end of my journey. I'll do a bunch of posts tomorrow from my brother and my various adventures. Te extraño, Costa Rica. It was lovely to see you once again.

pura vida

I am in the land of pura vida AKA Costa Rica. My brother is studying at the University of Costa Rica, where I studied almost four years ago. The faces of my friends and familia tica are the same. The country has progressed in many ways - good and bad. I have limited internet and Photoshop access, so expect more when I return.

Costa Rican idea of the day: Mango verde, which is unripened mango covered in lime juice and salt.

southbound

So, I bought a ticket to the Dominican Republic yesterday. I leave Jan. 4. People have asked me why the Dominican? Here's my short list: Spanish-speaking country, cheaper to fly to than South America, a country I've never been to, affordable, Caribbean but has a unique culture, always been high on my list of places to visit. Notice, no where in that list is Albert Pujols mentioned :-) I've been running Spanish phrases through my head and getting excited. I pulled a couple of photos from my months in Costa Rica to get me in the Latin mood.

Something amusing that happened today: I had a note saying that I missed a delivery from UPS, so I called the 800 number to arrange for pick up. Of course, a machine woman answered the phone. I started by mechanically stating my phone number and answering with the brisk yes and no answers. I then decided to have fun and pretend as if the machine were actually a person, so I used some vocal intonations, etc. I'll have you know that she does not know what "yes, please" means. You have to say "yes." A world without pleases? C'mon, no thanks!



Puerto Viejo, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, one of my favorite towns in the country



Guadalupe, kind of part of San José, one of the many beautiful Catholic churches in el país



Barva, Festival of Saint Batholomeu. Every little town has a saint, and the towns celebrate on that saint's day. Those things that look like pig bladders are pig bladders, and they reeked. They are attached to strings, and you whip others with your bladder. What can I say? Tradition is tradition.

seismo art

So I was once in an earthquake. A friend - through his job - managed to get me the seismograph of the quake, which is one of the most thoughtful and neat things I believe I've ever received. For about a year, I have wanted to hang it on my wall as is, but during the past couple of weeks, I decided that it could use a little "umphf." I'm taking suggestions here. How can I make this more artful? Color? Texture? Anyone want to try?