tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31581507597674430522024-03-12T20:57:46.906-06:00Left4CostaRicaColin & Zoë's Costa Rican adventure!Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-5996014759774979372009-02-24T16:00:00.005-06:002009-02-25T09:25:07.886-06:00The Island of the Lonely Men<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfwMjf8KI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/JWoiJf7Qlsc/s1600-h/IMG_0829.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfwMjf8KI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/JWoiJf7Qlsc/s320/IMG_0829.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306753017534476450" border="0" /></a><br />On Sunday we went on our final excursion of our extended stay in Costa Rica.<br /><br />Last week we went to our friend's holiday apartment on the pacific coast for some sun and swimming. On Sunday we returned to the pacific coast, this time as part of a day trip to Isla San Lucas.<br /><br />We were picked up by the <a href="http://www.samanthatours.com/">Samantha tours</a> bus from the Rosti Pollos restaurant near the airport. As the bus was picking us up at 7:30am on a Sunday morning, we decided to catch a taxi down to the pickup location. This proved to be no problem and the 20 minute ride cost 5000 colones.<br /><br />The bus was certainly the most luxurious we have been on in Costa Rica with reclining soft seats, air conditioning and a WC. There were about 20 or so others on the bus, 99% of them ticos. This was most likely due to the fact that the tour operator runs the tour at discounted rates for residents on a Sunday (if you are not a resident, you may still get a special deal if they have spaces left for a Sunday tour).<br /><br />After about 45 minutes on the bus, we stopped just after San Ramon for some breakfast. It was the usual rice, beans and scrambled eggs and, despite us already having had breakfast before we left, it was very tasty.<br /><br />After about another hour on the bus we arrived at the port town of Puntarenas to get on the boat which would take us to the island. We were met by Craig (although all his Costa Rican employees seemed to call him Greg, maybe Craig is not easy to pronounce for Spanish speakers) the owner of the tour company who was originally from Orkney. Throughout the course of the tour, Craig and his fellow guides were very attentive, frequently asking if we needed anything to drink, providing us with information on the surroundings and even checking that we had sunblock on!<br /><br />The boat ride to Isla San Lucas took about an hour, during which we sat on the open front of the boat enjoying the sun, views and the free fruit and natural fruit drinks that were on offer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvVX7FaI/AAAAAAAAAVI/LhM7acNBiyY/s1600-h/IMG_0817.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvVX7FaI/AAAAAAAAAVI/LhM7acNBiyY/s320/IMG_0817.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306753002721973666" border="0" /></a>For over 100 years <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Lucas_Island">San Lucas</a> was home to Costa Rica's largest and most brutal <a href="http://www.samanthatours.com/San_Lucas_Prison.html">prison</a>, often compared to Alcatraz and Devil's Island. The prison closed in 1992 and had until very recently been off-limits to visitors. It is still not frequented by large numbers of visitors as Samantha tours operates the only tour of the island, and the only other visitors are usually volunteers and researchers from charities and universities.<br /><br />At the dock there are the remains of two small holding cells where prisoners (often in unfeasibly large numbers) would be held until they were allocated to cells. There was a large tarantula sitting in the corner of one of the holding cells when we visited.<br /><br />The road up the small hill to the prison is very straight and you pass the remains of the old infirmary before reaching the main administration building and the church. Many of the buildings look ready to fall down, and indeed we were advised against going up to any higher floor levels because the flooring is collapsing in many areas. We were also advised not to use flash photography inside many of the buildings as there were lots and lots of bats - many of which took to flying just above our heads while we were going in and out of rooms!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvberf-I/AAAAAAAAAU4/L1TfQ7rXCX4/s1600-h/DSC02876.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvberf-I/AAAAAAAAAU4/L1TfQ7rXCX4/s320/DSC02876.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306753004360925154" border="0" /></a><br />It is the prisoners cells that are the most interesting, mainly due to the graffiti that the prisoners have left on the walls. There are many pictures, phrases, names and dates. Although despite the age of the prison, the graffiti seems to only date from the 1960s onwards. The prisoners had no paints or inks so they made their own from soot, ash, stones and blood. It was rumoured that the red dress of one of the pictures was made from the blood of a nurse killed here. Some of the pictures include cartoon characters, jesus, pele, and women in various states of undress.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvYvHvLI/AAAAAAAAAUw/fXQHccYl-K0/s1600-h/DSC02849.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvYvHvLI/AAAAAAAAAUw/fXQHccYl-K0/s320/DSC02849.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306753003624578226" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvXoIVXI/AAAAAAAAAVA/NBfMxWaqC2M/s1600-h/DSC02880.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVfvXoIVXI/AAAAAAAAAVA/NBfMxWaqC2M/s320/DSC02880.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306753003326821746" border="0" /></a>After the prison tour we walked back to the boat and enjoyed a delicious lunch of grilled fish (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahi-mahi">mahi mahi</a>), rice and vegetables washed down with sangria (or soft drink). Then we left for a walk through the forest, via the old prison laundry, to get to the beach (playa el coco). After the walk, which was in quite stifling heat, it was very, very nice to be able to submerge ourselves in the cool (but not too cool) waters of the pacific ocean. The only problem we found was burning our feet on the hot sand prior to reaching the water. After our dip, we took a walk along the beach before heading back to the boat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVgtIihdFI/AAAAAAAAAVY/llVlW9AnE3Y/s1600-h/IMG_0862.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SaVgtIihdFI/AAAAAAAAAVY/llVlW9AnE3Y/s320/IMG_0862.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306754064428659794" border="0" /></a>On the cruise back to the mainland, we sailed around the other side of the island which gave a great view of the many other islands that lie in the gulf of Nicoya. The bus ride back took much longer than the one in the morning because it seemed that half of Costa Rica was also making their way back along the road from the coast to the central valley. Regardless, we had enjoyed our trip to prison, but grateful that we could spend the night back in our comfortable home in Heredia and not in the heat and brutal conditions of Isla San Lucas.Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-54031693282362868962009-02-19T14:41:00.011-06:002009-02-19T15:07:10.504-06:00On the buses<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: 130px; top: 42px; visibility: visible; display: inline; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;">x</span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;">L</span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar">es>en </span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar">Google</span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan">c</span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: inline;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div style="width: auto ! important; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">[click to translate] Rev.</div></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3GyGlWuiI/AAAAAAAAAT4/Co290Zx4ZYk/s1600-h/bus1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3GyGlWuiI/AAAAAAAAAT4/Co290Zx4ZYk/s320/bus1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304614500175362594" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div style="width: auto ! important; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></div></div>Regular readers of our blog will have noted that we spend a lot of time on buses. Below we list some of the things that make buses special in Costa Rica.<br /><br />We have liked travelling by bus as it immerses you more into the way of Costa Rican life. It allows you to be amongst people going about their day-to-day lives. In our few days of travelling by hire car, we quickly noticed how much more cut off from other people you become as you just get in the car, go to where you want and get out again.<br /><br />A lot of people travel by bus in Costa Rica because it is so cheap. Usually the fares are fixed regardless of how far you are travelling. The fare from Heredia to our house takes about 10 minutes and costs a fixed 165 colones (about 20p). The journey from Heredia to San Jose, which can take anything from 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on the traffic, costs 340 colones / 45p (from the cheapest of the bus companies). In fact, our bus journey from San Jose to the Caribbean, which took four hours only cost 3900 colones / £5!<br /><br />The buses in Costa Rica are run by lots of different companies, so you can often travel to your destination via a number of different buses and routes. Even within the same bus company, the buses can range in size and quality from former US type school buses with hard seats, to coach size buses with soft reclinable seats. The bus that we usually catch from Heredia to our house is one with hard seats, this is especially unfortunate as the route it takes involves going along some very bumpy pot-holed roads. If the driver is in a hurry it can be a real bone-shaker.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3GyjPPvaI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/bEeCINXO9uQ/s1600-h/bus-gets3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3GyjPPvaI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/bEeCINXO9uQ/s320/bus-gets3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304614507867258274" border="0" /></a>It would appear that the same bus drivers often run the same routes every day with the same buses. So a lot of the drivers have decked out their own corner of the bus with family photos, stickers or flags. We even rode on one bus where the driver had pimped his stereo system to include full size speakers and a subwoofer. This might be an idea for a new TV show "Pimp my bus"!<br /><br />Buses in Costa Rica also seem to be far more reliable than their UK equivalents. Some of the buses only run every 20 or 30 minutes, but you can rely on them leaving/arriving at that time. On the most popular routes (such as between Heredia and San Jose), at the most popular times (rush hour) you will even find buses lined up behind one another at the first stop. When one fills up and drives off, the next one immediately takes it's place and it fills up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3Inj2boqI/AAAAAAAAAUg/dfCjZHf43eM/s1600-h/bus-tuasa-sanjose.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3Inj2boqI/AAAAAAAAAUg/dfCjZHf43eM/s320/bus-tuasa-sanjose.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304616518076310178" border="0" /></a>Buses in Costa Rica usually have two doors - one at the front and one at the back. So when getting off you can select the exit most convenient - usually the one that doesn't send you down a big hole in the road. Most people get on the bus at the front, but we have seen folks get on at the rear then walk inside the bus to pay the driver.<br /><br />You can get change from Costa Rican bus drivers. True, they wouldn't accommodate you if you handed over a 5000 colones note, but it's likely that up to 2000 colones you would get change. The bus drivers have to account for their days takings and if they are short then they have to make up the difference themselves. The total amount of passengers each day is known because at both sets of doors there are electronic detectors that count every coming and going. The ones at the front can either be right at the doors or after the driver - it's best not to hang around these areas as it could count your passing more than once, which will only upset the driver.<br /><br />On the major bus routes you will often get someone come on the bus to collect money for a charity or organisation. They will give a short speech about what they are representing and then "sell" little items such as pens, pencils or stickers for a donation. They seem to get a lot more donations than we would expect a similar attempt on a UK bus would get.<br /><br />They have a reverse gear on buses in Costa Rica. Ok, so the buses in the UK will also have one, but how often do you ever see a bus reverse? Here in Costa Rica, it happens all the time - pulling out from stops, trying to get round corners, etc. And if you are a pedestrian or the driver of a car behind, you'd better keep out of the way or take evasive action because the bus won't pay much attention to you.<br /><br />Last but not least, politeness still exists on the buses in Costa Rica. Many years ago when we were children travelling on the bus in the UK, it was not uncommon for males on the bus (including boys) to allow women and elderly to have their seat. Well this still happens in Costa Rica. Even male teenagers will often give up their seat on a full bus to allow a female of any age to sit down. This is all too rare in the UK nowadays.<br /><br />We would also like to state that we have not seen any chickens or any other farmyard animals on buses in Costa Rica.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3GyAOmx1I/AAAAAAAAAUA/GrEFaG7BYrM/s1600-h/bus-heredia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3GyAOmx1I/AAAAAAAAAUA/GrEFaG7BYrM/s320/bus-heredia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304614498469332818" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZ3FOOpSiyI/AAAAAAAAATQ/JK9DiZPv2rU/s1600-h/bus-heredia.jpg"><br /></a>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-35101721510376522752009-02-17T13:50:00.015-06:002009-02-17T15:49:05.939-06:00el árbitro nos ha robado el partido<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div></div></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div></div></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div></div></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div style="width: auto ! important; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></div></div><br /><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsafzQ5BwI/AAAAAAAAASQ/40YtuVYrtIE/s1600-h/logo_saprissa_400_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsafzQ5BwI/AAAAAAAAASQ/40YtuVYrtIE/s200/logo_saprissa_400_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303862119798212354" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div></div><br /><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsaLkEt2mI/AAAAAAAAASA/zkBWmME70vM/s1600-h/escudoherediano01.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 113px; height: 118px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsaLkEt2mI/AAAAAAAAASA/zkBWmME70vM/s320/escudoherediano01.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303861772123232866" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div face="Arial" size="12px" style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div></div></div><br />On Saturday, as it was Valentine's Day (<span style="font-style: italic;">el día del amor y la amistad</span>), and as Colin is such a romantic, he took Zoë out for a date... to the football!<br /><br />A word of warning, if you have absolutely no interest in football you can probably stop reading here!<br /><br />Ideally we would have been able to go and see our local team <a href="http://www.herediano.com/">C.S. Herediano</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Sport_Herediano">English</a>) play in their own little stadium. But as there hasn't been a suitable home game available we decided to take a trip to Tibas, a town/suburb just north of San Jose where Heredianos were away to <a href="http://www.saprissa.co.cr/">Saprissa</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saprissa">English</a>). At least this way we would get to see our home team and also get to visit <a href="http://www.worldstadiums.com/middle_america/countries/costa_rica.shtml">Costa Rica's largest stadium</a>, <a href="http://www.saprissa.co.cr/content/articles/27/1/Historia/Page1.html">Estadio Ricardo Saprissa</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadio_Ricardo_Saprissa_Aym%C3%A1">English</a>), where Saprissa, and also currently the Costa Rican national team, play.<br /><br />When you visit Costa Rica, and if you have any passing interest in football, you cannot fail to see or hear about the football team Saprissa. They are the Manchester United and Chelsea of Costa Rica. The richest and most successful team in the country and who it seems nearly every second person in the country supports as their "home" team. As you walk the streets of Heredia or San Jose, or in the malls and street markets you will always see at least one person in the purple of Saprissa. It is a shame that Saprissa are the Man U of Costa Rica, and therefore we can in no way bring ourselves to support them, because their purple and white strips are quite fetching it has to be said (although perhaps wearing a shirt with "<a href="http://www.bimbo.com.mx/">Bimbo</a>", Saprissa's sponsor, across the front isn't smart in the UK).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsexOHYi2I/AAAAAAAAASg/HmSRmSDKMVQ/s1600-h/sapher1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsexOHYi2I/AAAAAAAAASg/HmSRmSDKMVQ/s320/sapher1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303866817110379362" border="0" /></a>We are not quite sure what the appeal is in supporting a team than nearly everyone else also supports (or at least it would appear that way). Saprissa do have one other team in the country that they are large rivals with, and that is <a href="http://www.lda.cr/">Liga Deportiva Alajuelense</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liga_Deportiva_Alajuelense">English</a>). However, and this might just be in the areas we have visited, even this team seem to only have half the support of Saprissa. In the sports shops in malls and in towns, the only football shirts on sale are Saprissa, LDA and the Costa Rican national strip. Walking around we do occasionally see people wearing foreign football tops, these are only ever Barcelona, Real Madrid, Man Utd, Chelsea or Arsenal, no one else.<br /><br />On approach to the stadium there were plenty of opportunities to purchase (mostly) Saprissa and (some) Heredia merchandise from the various street vendors that had set up stalls on street corners. Zoë was particularly attracted to the spiked furry hats with tails, but managed to resist. There were also one or two touts selling tickets. At the stadium itself there were quite large queues formed at the boleteria, but there was one window selling tickets to the <a href="http://www.saprissa.co.cr/content/articles/58/1/Mapa-Interno-del-Estadio/Page1.html">palco and platea</a> which had a very small queue which we joined.<br /><br />The stadium seats just over 23,000 people, so it was very similar in size to what we are used to with our own home stadium, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittodrie">Pittodrie</a>, home of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_F.C.">Aberdeen</a>. However, Saprissa's stadium has two <a href="http://www.fussballtempel.net/concacaf/CRC/Saprissa.html">very large covered stands</a> on the east and west sides (along the touchlines of the field) and two smaller uncovered stands on the north and south (along the goal lines).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsfZQwqI_I/AAAAAAAAASo/jU6q_UbGm4c/s1600-h/sapstad1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsfZQwqI_I/AAAAAAAAASo/jU6q_UbGm4c/s320/sapstad1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303867505015137266" border="0" /></a>As it was a special occasion we purchased two palco tickets. These were the most expensive seats available and were for the boxes that were half way up the east and west stands. They were 8000 colones each (which is about £18 for both - you would struggle to get one cheap seat ticket in Scotland for that). On this occasion the tickets were not for specific numbered seats, so upon checking with a steward were were informed we could sit wherever we wanted. The palcos were really just sections of this part of the stand that were partially separated by wooden sides to their neighbours. There was no glass front or soft seats here, although some of the palcos must have been private or corporate as they were locked and had televisions. Each of the boxes held about 40 seats, and we picked one that was empty at the time (about 25 minutes before kick-off). At kick-off time though, it and most of the other boxes filled up quite a bit with men, women and children all present. The stadium looked about half full (so again similar to Pittodrie!) but the attendance probably wasn't helped by the fact that the game was on television. The only area of the stadium that looked particularly active/rowdy was in the South end (the sol sur) where the <a href="http://www.saprissa.co.cr/content/articles/19/1/Historia-de-la-Ultra/Page1.html">Ultras</a> and a brass band were located. This group of fans were continually jumping and seemed to be the only section that were singing any songs during the game.<br /><br />That's not to say that our own section was completely quiet. In the front row of our palco was a male Saprissa fan who occasionally got quite animated and would allow us to hear some curses in Spanish. There were quite a lot of "hijo de puta" coming from him whenever a Saprissa forward missed another sitter.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZshkJo2jyI/AAAAAAAAASw/lvaoXgo1wCg/s1600-h/sapher4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZshkJo2jyI/AAAAAAAAASw/lvaoXgo1wCg/s320/sapher4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303869891105165090" border="0" /></a>It was also interesting to note that the few Heredia fans present were just dotted about all over the stadium, there was no one single area dedicated for them. Another difference was the fencing all around the pitch, something that hasn't been seen in the UK for a number of years. This did mean that no ball boys were situated around the field as the ball usually didn't make it over the fence when played out. The pitch at Saprissa is artifical turf and the ball did appear to bounce slightly more than on grass.<br /><br />The game itself was quite entertaining, and the overall quality seemed very similar to that of an <a href="http://www.scotprem.com/">SPL</a> game. As you would expect of a latin american country, the individual skill and technical ability was present, but it did seem that the players would often try to beat one man too many and then lose the ball too often. Crosses of the ball were often good and many of the goal chances came from these or fast counter-attacks. The goalkeepers, like many in Europe nowadays, preferred to punch the ball out rather than attempt to catch it.<br /><br />Saprissa are currently rated 122 in the <a href="http://www.iffhs.de/?10f42e00fa2d17f73702fa3016e23c17f7370eff3702bb1c2bbb6f28f53512">IFFHS World club rankings</a>. As a comparison with Scottish teams, Glasgow Rangers and Celtic are 24 and 78 respectively and Aberdeen are currently rated 195.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/febrero/15/deportes1876054.html">Saprissa won the game 2-1</a>, after Heredia had taken a 1-0 lead. Despite Saprissa dominating much of the game, they were helped by some dubious refereeing decisions including the award of a penalty and subsequent sending off of a Heredia player (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauricio_Sol%C3%ADs">Mauricio Solis</a>). After this decision and the penalty it took about 5 minutes for the game to restart and the Heredia players to stop surrounding the dodgy ref. At the end of the game the ref was again surrounded (after he blew the final whistle while Heredia were about to take a corner) and we read later about the Heredia coach, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paulo_Wanchope">Paulo Wanchope</a> a name familiar to British football fans, complaining that his team had to <a href="http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/febrero/15/deportes1876089.html">play against 12 players</a> (including the ref).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsh21ip3nI/AAAAAAAAAS4/qrAQ6ljH8DY/s1600-h/sapher2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsh21ip3nI/AAAAAAAAAS4/qrAQ6ljH8DY/s320/sapher2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303870212127972978" border="0" /></a>It took a long time for us to catch a bus back to Heredia as the queue was long and numerous full buses passed without stopping. But despite there being both Saprissa and Heredia fans in the queue everyone was in reasonably high spirits after a pretty good evening's entertainment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsh22T8IUI/AAAAAAAAATA/kcSAHtszgic/s1600-h/sapher3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZsh22T8IUI/AAAAAAAAATA/kcSAHtszgic/s320/sapher3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303870212334690626" border="0" /></a>Match photos from <a href="http://www.nacion.com/">La Nacion</a>.Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-47198016580896908332009-02-11T15:06:00.004-06:002009-02-11T15:34:48.742-06:00At the movies (en Tres-D)<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div style="width: auto ! important; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></div></div>On Tuesday we treated ourselves to a day to the mall. It was our "anniversary" so we thought we would see a movie.<br /><br />We arrived at the <a href="http://www.paseodelasflores.com/">Paseo de las Flores</a> at about 10:30am and a lot of the shops and food places were still shut, so we had a cup of tea and coffee and a very nice piece of chocolate cake each (a day off from healthy eating). After finishing these we had a little look in some of the shops before heading to the cinema at the end of the mall to buy our tickets. Many of the films here are shown in English but with Spanish subtitles, the exception to this is animated films which are most often dubbed into Spanish. We decided to see <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327597/">Coraline y la puerta secreta</a>, in 3-D. This would be a challenge as it was dubbed, but we figured that at least we would be able to enjoy the 3-D. Because it was a 3-D film it was also a bit more expensive than the usual showings (3500 colones compared to 2200 colones). The coming attractions (all animations) were in 3-D, which was nice. The film itself was entertaining and the dialogue was nearly always easy enough for us to understand so following the story was never a problem. The 3-D was a nice extra and wasn't overdone.<br /><br />After the film we had some lunch at the La Fabbrica Pizzeria (as we said, a day off from healthy eating), also at the mall. Zoë really enjoyed her pizza, while Colin thought his probably wasn't quite as good as that of our usual Italian restaurant (<a href="http://www.words2u.net/pmwiki/?n=Restaurants.LAnticaRoma">L'Antica Roma</a>). Either way the pizzas were big and tasty.<br /><br />On the way to the mall we noticed that all the bus stops have changed again in Central Heredia.... this time without advance warning in <a href="http://www.nacion.com/">La Nacion</a>. Perhaps this is what you miss out on when you don't have a TV!Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-35119920588744333642009-02-09T19:05:00.005-06:002009-02-09T19:33:07.674-06:00Zarcero, home of the mighty bush<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURyjCjiI/AAAAAAAAARw/-5JGSpvklKU/s1600-h/IMG_0740.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURyjCjiI/AAAAAAAAARw/-5JGSpvklKU/s320/IMG_0740.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300970163506679330" border="0" /></a>Today we went on a bus adventure. We took the bus to San Jose, and from there to Zarcero. There was no real purpose in this trip other than to have a day out. Riding buses might not be everyone’s idea of fun, but the scenery on the rides into the mountains is just stunning and since we don’t have a car…<br /><br />Zarcero itself is small town with all the normal things found in a Costa Rican small town including the church facing a park. But the park here is somewhat different. Remember Edward Scissorhands? Well everyone in Zacero looks like him.<br /><br />No not really.<br /><br />But in the central park there are lots and lots of bushes pruned into all kinds of strange and interesting shapes (topiary, of course). Gardener Evangelisto Blanco has been trimming and shaping the bushes of this park since the 1960s and he is obviously very imaginative (or strange). The shaped bushes that we came across included a dinosaur, numerous faces, a turtle, creatures dancing, something that seemed to resemble the honey monster from sugar puffs and a cat riding a motorbike!<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURyDbo1I/AAAAAAAAARo/Y6PBwm03NE0/s1600-h/IMG_0736.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURyDbo1I/AAAAAAAAARo/Y6PBwm03NE0/s320/IMG_0736.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300970163374105426" border="0" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURw5tFLI/AAAAAAAAARg/M_a5Dizm0yc/s1600-h/IMG_0720.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURw5tFLI/AAAAAAAAARg/M_a5Dizm0yc/s320/IMG_0720.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300970163064870066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURcYI07I/AAAAAAAAARY/gj4LT0chvS0/s1600-h/DSC02620.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURcYI07I/AAAAAAAAARY/gj4LT0chvS0/s320/DSC02620.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300970157555372978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURZqwG8I/AAAAAAAAARQ/l8frijDqNhU/s1600-h/DSC02617.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SZDURZqwG8I/AAAAAAAAARQ/l8frijDqNhU/s320/DSC02617.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300970156828138434" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-858391006124569632009-02-06T13:02:00.019-06:002009-02-07T12:14:29.344-06:00Reggae Beats, Fishy Treats & Soaking Feet!<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span title="Translation service: Yahoo" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div style="width: auto ! important; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></div></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="BabelFishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span title="Translation service: Yahoo" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="BabelFishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><span style="cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="BabelFishToolBar" title="No errors" id="bferrorSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><div style="width: auto ! important; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Reggae Beats, Fishy Treats </div></div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5SnuKEPI/AAAAAAAAAOo/7CQzj7yphP4/s1600-h/DSC02176.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5SnuKEPI/AAAAAAAAAOo/7CQzj7yphP4/s320/DSC02176.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299814591059595506" border="0" /></a> <div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">From the 1st to the 4th of February we visited Cahuita, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. This was the first time we have been to that side of the country. Since it covers 4 days, this is a huge blog entry so you may want to go and get a drink and snack before sitting down to read!<br /><br /><strong>Getting There & Back</strong><br />We had several options for getting to Cahuita, including hiring a car or using one of the tourist shuttle services (Interbus or Fantasy Line). We chose to go by public transport as it was significantly cheaper. The bus from San José to Cahuita costs 3900 colones each way. We went to the Gran Terminal Caribe bus station in San José a few days in advance to purchase our tickets to Cahuita. On the way to Cahuita, you are given assigned seat numbers. The Gran Terminal Caribe bus station is conveniently located, for us anyway, just a few hundred metres from the Microbuses Rapidos Heredianos terminal, who run a Heredia-San José bus route via Santo Domingo & Tibas.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />The journey from San José to Cahuita took 4 hours in total, including a 20 minute stop (the driver will tell you 10!) in Limón for a toilet break and an opportunity to buy something to eat. We had somewhat of a culture shock, as the majority of the passengers on the bus to Cahuita were English-speaking tourists and we haven’t really been around many tourists since we’ve been here. There were also a few Ticos, and a nun dressed in white. Clearly we thought that the chances of our bus being involved in an accident would be greatly diminished with a nun on board.</span> <br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">You cannot purchase the return ticket until you are in Cahuita, and the earliest you can buy it is the day before you want to travel. Seats are not assigned on the way back, and Cahuita is the last stop before San José so be prepared if you are travelling with someone to sit separately from them. However, the nice Chilean guy who Zoë sat next to offered to swap seats with Colin so that we could sit together. Personally we think the </span><em style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">chileno</em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> just wanted to sit next to the skinny girl with the long, wavy dark hair that spoke perfect Spanish who Colin had sat next to! Because of the flooding (the province of Limón, in which Cahuita is located, had torrential rain during the time we were there) the journey back to San José took us 6 hours.</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />Just north of Cahuita is a police checkpoint. On the way back a policeman boarded the bus and checked everyone’s ID. Remember to carry your passport, or a photocopy of the ID page, with you at all times when travelling in Costa Rica (we carry photocopies).</span><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />Accommodation</strong> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />We stayed at </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.elencantobedandbreakfast.com/">El Encanto Bed & Breakfast</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. This had been recommended to us by a couple of guys we met at <a href="http://www.hotelhojarascas.com/">Hotel Hojarascas</a> the last time we visited Costa Rica (February/March 2008). We had one of the cabins in the beautiful gardens, which were inhabited by numerous colourful birds and lots of little green & black </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_dart_frog">poison dart frogs</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span> <div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5S98knWI/AAAAAAAAAPA/mse3kJo1SQ4/s1600-h/DSC02215.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 280px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5S98knWI/AAAAAAAAAPA/mse3kJo1SQ4/s320/DSC02215.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299814597025635682" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Each morning we were woken by the sound of howler monkeys in the area. There was also a small swimming pool which due to the torrential rain we didn’t actually end up using (we arrived on Sunday afternoon, the rain started on Monday lunchtime and hadn’t stopped by the time we left late on Wednesday morning). We did however make good use of the covered terrace at the front of our cabin to sit outside in the torrential rain and watch the comings and goings of the wildlife and the hotel guests and staff. It may have been pouring with rain, but at least it was warm!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6lazvDEI/AAAAAAAAAPg/QOehFJGRIeg/s1600-h/DSC02316.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6lazvDEI/AAAAAAAAAPg/QOehFJGRIeg/s320/DSC02316.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299816013522472002" border="0" /></a>Cahuita itself is full of accommodation for tourists at all prices from basic <em>cabinas</em> to upscale hotels. We were happy with our mid-price choice<span style="font-weight: bold;">.<br /><br /></span><strong>Eating & Drinking</strong><br /></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The small village of Cahuita is packed full of bars and restaurants catering to the tourists and also several more local, traditional sodas. It all seemed a little disproportionate really for such a small place. However, the upside is that the choice provides a lot of really good eating! In just a short visit we couldn’t possibly visit every one of them but here’s where we did go:<em><br /><br />Reggae Bar</em>, on the road leading out of the village along <em>Playa Negra</em> (Black Beach). We arrived on the Sunday afternoon while it was sunny and warm (the rain didn’t start until Monday) and went for a walk along the beach/beach road. We stopped off here for a drink. A very rough hewn bar with laid back staff and customers including surfers, Rastafarians and aging hippies from the USA who have probably been here a little too long. Like pretty much all the bars in Cahuita, this one was showing European football on its TV, and playing reggae music.<em><br /><br />Restaurante Sobre Las Olas</em>, on the road leading out of the village along Playa Negra, is the closest restaurant to El Encanto. Being on the coast, we wanted to ensure that we got our fill of seafood while we were in Cahuita. So, on the Sunday night we chose this restaurant because it was so close to the hotel and advertised seafood as its specialty. This is not a cheap restaurant. In fact it is by far the most expensive place we have eaten since we arrived in Costa Rica in early December. But the candlelit table on the Caribbean shore and the delicious food made it worth every colón. Colin had red snapper in a Caribbean sauce (coconutty and creamy), which he thought was the best meal he ate while we were in Cahuita. Zoë had a Caribbean-style seafood rice dish, which came with every conceivable type of seafood mixed in with the wonderfully flavoured rice. Quite an adventure to a relative newcomer to seafood! Colin also took advantage of a free sample of local cahuita white rum, it had quite a kick to it.<br /></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5SnQiwkI/AAAAAAAAAOw/ItuVbVAx2Wk/s1600-h/DSC02187.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5SnQiwkI/AAAAAAAAAOw/ItuVbVAx2Wk/s320/DSC02187.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299814590935384642" border="0" /></a><em>Pizz’ n’ Love </em>is in the centre of the village. We ended up here because the Sunday night was the night of the Superbowl and we couldn’t watch it at El Encanto because the tube in the television in the communal area had blown that morning. We walked through the village looking to see if anywhere was showing it … we did think that we might have to go and ask at the house that serves as the laundry if we could go and watch their telly, but then we came across Pizz’ n’ Love who were showing the Superbowl on a big screen much to Colin’s (and the large number of Steelers and Cardinals fans who had gathered there) relief. It was a nice atmosphere, the drinks were good, the food looked good (we had already eaten though) and the host was very friendly and seemed to know everyone who passed by and stopped to watch from the roadside for a few minutes. </div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5S0yPvpI/AAAAAAAAAO4/_8YofDB0xwM/s1600-h/DSC02197.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5S0yPvpI/AAAAAAAAAO4/_8YofDB0xwM/s320/DSC02197.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299814594566405778" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><em>Coral Reef Restaurant </em>in the centre of the village was our Monday night dinner stop. Delicious Rice and Beans (traditionally Caribbean with a hint of coconut) and <em>corvina</em> (sea bass). Zoë’s was in a creole sauce, and Colin’s in a Caribbean sauce (more spicy and less coconutty than the previous night). We also had <em>postres</em> (pudding) here, both of us opting for a <em>banano flambeado con helado</em>, which was very tasty.<em><br /><br />Café del Parquecito </em>is, as the name suggests, right by the little park in the village. We stopped here on Tuesday morning partly to get a break from the rain, and partly to try out the crepes here (“the best in town” – probably the only in town). The crepes were good and so were the hot chocolates we drank. It seemed to be the hangout for the German-speaking tourists – maybe the crepes reminded them of Europe.<em><br /><br />Cha Cha Cha</em>, serves <em>cocina del mundo</em> (food of the world) in Cahuita village. We ate here on Tuesday evening and were glad that we got there early as the small restaurant filled up quickly and the food took a while to arrive (it was just as well that Zoë had her <em>natural de mora </em>and Colin his Haitian Zombie cocktail to keep them occupied). We both had the catch of the day – shark fillet in a creole sauce. We were given a choice of how spicy we wanted the sauce – not very for Zoë, quite a lot for Colin. This was Zoë’s favourite meal here. While we waited for our food Colin spotted a strange shadow that seemed to be making its way along a telephone line which turned out to be a sloth. Zoë went to investigate despite the torrential rain, but the sloth was moving too fast (yes really!) and it was too dark to take a photograph. Still it was an interesting sight to see.<em><br /><br />Soda Lili</em>, at the bus station. We had quite a while to wait for our bus back to San Jose on Wednesday morning, so we had a nice cup of hot chocolate to raise our spirits at the small soda right next to the swimming pool (OK, it was the bus stop…. but we could probably have gone swimming if we had wanted!)<br /></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /></div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8ogU_XRI/AAAAAAAAAQg/ePRkb7WSct0/s1600-h/DSC02526.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8ogU_XRI/AAAAAAAAAQg/ePRkb7WSct0/s320/DSC02526.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299818265566993682" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><strong>Activities</strong><br />On the Monday we went on an organised tour which took us to the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica, the Uatsi Waterfall and the Tsiru Úe, a family run “Chocolate House”.<br /><br />Our driver for the day was Daubrin. He didn’t speak much English, and the 8 other tourists we were with didn’t speak Spanish so initially he seemed quite unfriendly and uncommunicative. But when he realised that we could speak some Spanish he brightened up a bit and turned out to be very friendly and helpful. Moral of the story: always try to speak at least a little of the language of the country you are travelling to.<br /><br />We were picked up at El Encanto at 10.20 am, and driven to the <a href="http://slothrescue.org/">Sloth Sanctuary</a>. Our guide at the sanctuary was Jeffrey, the Las Vegas born and raised grandson of the sanctuary owners who had originally wanted to be an architect until he visited his grandparents in Costa Rica 4 years ago … and stayed. Jeffrey told us a lot about sloths with the help of a large mural, a video and sloth skeletons and then we went to meet some live ones. Each of the sloths at the sanctuary has its own story of how it got there … some were orphaned as babies or found abandoned, others sustained injuries as adults. Unfortunately, if the sloth is orphaned it doesn’t learn how to survive in the wild from its mother and it is therefore destined to a comfortable, but captive, life at the sanctuary. Injured sloths, once healed, are released into the “wild” of the sanctuary’s own private area of forest. Some of these sloths will move on to the real wild of their own accord. We met several adult sloths, one of which we were allowed to stroke, and many small baby sloths. Unfortunately, due to the time constraints of the tour we didn’t have time to go for a walk along the “sendero de los peresozos” (the path of the sloths) to look for sloths in the sanctuary’s forest.<br /><br />At the Sanctuary we also learned that sloths, along with dolphins, are the only creatures that are permanently smiling .... :)<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8oha18mI/AAAAAAAAAQo/lB96u2io_bE/s320/IMG_0571.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299818265859977826" border="0" /></div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8oha18mI/AAAAAAAAAQo/lB96u2io_bE/s1600-h/IMG_0571.JPG"></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5TFgsETI/AAAAAAAAAPI/sWWEisTc2dg/s1600-h/DSC02266.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy5TFgsETI/AAAAAAAAAPI/sWWEisTc2dg/s320/DSC02266.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299814599056167218" border="0" /></a><br />We were driven to the town of Bribrí, where we made a quick lunch stop, before heading to the Uatsi waterfall. This involved a drive into the Talamanca mountains, which ended sooner than Daubrin anticipated because one of the rivers on the way to the waterfall, which he usually crossed in his vehicle, was uncrossable in his people carrier. Thus our hike was further than anticipated and involved wading across 3 rivers before eventually getting to the river with the waterfall.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8ojPYZbI/AAAAAAAAAQw/b_4JonEPX9E/s1600-h/IMG_0603.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8ojPYZbI/AAAAAAAAAQw/b_4JonEPX9E/s320/IMG_0603.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299818266348774834" border="0" /></a><br />The whole experience was adventurous and entertaining (some of the folk on the tour were just not prepared for this) and the reward at the end, paddling/swimming in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall was for Zoë the surprise highlight of the tour. Colin didn’t go into the pool, and Daubrin offered to take him on a little hike to the top of the waterfall; Colin couldn’t think at that moment how to say “I don’t like heights” in Spanish but did manage to comprehend that it wasn't going to be too steep so he followed Daubrin and ended up going to places he would never have usually gone. The view was great, but a bit too high for comfort.<br /><br /></div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8o0XeyII/AAAAAAAAAQ4/IgQXpqA-Ud0/s1600-h/IMG_0606.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8o0XeyII/AAAAAAAAAQ4/IgQXpqA-Ud0/s320/IMG_0606.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299818270946150530" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8o8_owrI/AAAAAAAAARA/0IktQs1GTxo/s1600-h/IMG_0613.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy8o8_owrI/AAAAAAAAARA/0IktQs1GTxo/s320/IMG_0613.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299818273262060210" border="0" /></a><br />After the waterfall we visited Tsiru Úe. This family from the indigenous Bribrí tribe make chocolate from the cacao trees growing in their garden. They showed us the trees, the cacao fruit at different stages of growth (it takes 6 months to reach the stage where it can be used for chocolate), allowed us to try some of the fruit (very sweet and kind of like mango) and showed us how they processed the seeds into cocoa butter and chocolate before allowing us to try (and of course purchase) the results.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6lRQLj7I/AAAAAAAAAPQ/NFYRSRfOTpw/s1600-h/DSC02299.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6lRQLj7I/AAAAAAAAAPQ/NFYRSRfOTpw/s320/DSC02299.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299816010957426610" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6leWyLSI/AAAAAAAAAPY/rBcYyxyRii4/s1600-h/DSC02309.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6leWyLSI/AAAAAAAAAPY/rBcYyxyRii4/s320/DSC02309.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299816014474784034" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />It was while we were visiting Tsiru Úe that the torrential rain, which would last until we left Cahuita, began. We were pleased that we hadn’t booked the tour for the Tuesday as we think that the waterfall trip would have been too dangerous and unpredictable with that amount of rainfall in such a short time.</div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7ggTOaOI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/56QcpIvh6p4/s1600-h/DSC02391.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7ggTOaOI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/56QcpIvh6p4/s320/DSC02391.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299817028609009890" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />On Tuesday we went for a walk in Cahuita National Park. We did postpone the start of the walk for a couple of hours in case the rain stopped, but when it didn’t we just resigned ourselves to getting very wet. We were only in Cahuita for a limited time and didn’t want to spend that time sitting watching the rain. We followed the trail through the park from the Kelly Creek Ranger Station (at Cahuita) to the Puerto Vargas Ranger Station. A distance of 8 km, plus an extra couple of kilometres to get transport back to Cahuita.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7gXRWvtI/AAAAAAAAAP4/anwjoFzU9KU/s1600-h/DSC02379.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7gXRWvtI/AAAAAAAAAP4/anwjoFzU9KU/s320/DSC02379.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299817026185248466" border="0" /></a><br />On the trail we walked along Caribbean beaches with waves crashing to the shore and through jungle where we saw abundant wildlife including blue <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_crab">fiddler crabs</a>, a troup of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capuchin_monkey">capuchin monkeys</a> and two <a href="http://www.whozoo.org/Intro2000/shawloud/EKL_EYELASH_VIPER.htm"><em>bocaracás</em> </a>(bright yellow venomous snakes which apparently aren’t often seen in the park). Although we didn’t go swimming in the Caribbean (it looked just a little too rough for us) we may as well have as we were absolutely soaked, but we did often paddle along the edges. We had decided to make absolutely no attempt to stay dry as it would have been impossible and instead enjoyed the feeling of wearing shorts and t-shirts in warm rain. This just does not happen in Aberdeen! </div><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6mBodt6I/AAAAAAAAAPw/JAOVBNUcOR4/s1600-h/DSC02350.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6mBodt6I/AAAAAAAAAPw/JAOVBNUcOR4/s320/DSC02350.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299816023944181666" border="0" /></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6l8dO-nI/AAAAAAAAAPo/q49Hm8PxcZ8/s1600-h/DSC02343.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy6l8dO-nI/AAAAAAAAAPo/q49Hm8PxcZ8/s320/DSC02343.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299816022554901106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7g_YFq7I/AAAAAAAAAQY/i6FtsXlpr6I/s1600-h/DSC02445.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7g_YFq7I/AAAAAAAAAQY/i6FtsXlpr6I/s320/DSC02445.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299817036950907826" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7gkc2ZII/AAAAAAAAAQI/yPAwcLfnJho/s1600-h/DSC02390.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7gkc2ZII/AAAAAAAAAQI/yPAwcLfnJho/s320/DSC02390.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299817029723120770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7gWPUqiI/AAAAAAAAAQA/BBVgZOYu1Os/s1600-h/DSC02386.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy7gWPUqiI/AAAAAAAAAQA/BBVgZOYu1Os/s320/DSC02386.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299817025908288034" border="0" /></a><br />At the end of the walk we reached the multipurpose Bar Boca Chica where they have a swimming pool free to use for their customers (somewhat ironic on this particular day), served food and drink, braided hair, sold souvenirs and offered a taxi service. Colin had a warming coffee while we dried out a little under their thatched shelters (we do think that they should add Hot Chocolate to their menu, especially for soaking days like this one!) before we hired the barman to drive us back to Cahuita in his “taxi”. The barman/taxi driver spoke good English learnt whilst he worked for a couple of years in Glasgow about 20 years ago. His Glaswegian impression was also spot on, including obscenities (“for **** sake gies a fag, pal”).<br /></div><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />Conclusion<br /></strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Despite the torrential rain, which we later found had caused lots of <a href="http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/febrero/05/pais1865049.html">flooding </a>in the province, we enjoyed our trip to the Caribbean as much as we had hoped. It was very strange to be among so many English-speaking people, both tourists and locals. We had read the odd bad report about Cahuita, but everyone we met was very friendly and we didn’t experience any problems. All-in-all, Cahuita was the relaxed, quiet getaway we wanted.</span> <div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy9UF7P3iI/AAAAAAAAARI/8ZkZJqP0hHM/s1600-h/IMG_0648.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYy9UF7P3iI/AAAAAAAAARI/8ZkZJqP0hHM/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299819014393945634" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-25012790745618714032009-01-31T19:21:00.009-06:002009-01-31T19:57:48.560-06:00City Culture & Cool Creatures<div id="gmbabelFish" style="BORDER-RIGHT: black 1px solid; PADDING-RIGHT: 2px; BORDER-TOP: black 1px solid; DISPLAY: none; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; Z-INDEX: 1410065406; LEFT: -100px; VISIBILITY: hidden; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: black 1px solid; WIDTH: auto; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); PADDING-TOP: 2px; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1px solid; POSITION: absolute; TOP: -100px; HEIGHT: auto; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(168,236,255); TEXT-ALIGN: left; -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5pxfont-family:arial;font-size:12px;" ><div style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 2px; PADDING-TOP: 2px; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 1px dotted"><span class="BabelFishToolBar" id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" style="CURSOR: pointer"></span><span class="BabelFishToolBar" id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" style="CURSOR: pointer"></span><span class="BabelFishToolBar" id="bflangsSpan" style="CURSOR: pointer"></span><span class="BabelFishToolBar" id="bfserviceSpan" style="CURSOR: pointer"></span><span class="BabelFishToolBar" id="bfclipboardSpan" title="Copy result to clipboard"></span><span class="BabelFishToolBar" id="bferrorSpan" title="No errors" style="VISIBILITY: hidden; CURSOR: pointer"></span><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="bffishImg" title="click to translate" style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; CURSOR: pointer; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></span></div><span style="color:#000000;"></span><br /></div><p><span style="color:#000000;">On the Thursday and Friday of Zoë's parents holiday here we visited San Jose and INBIOParque.<br /><br />We followed (more or less) the walking tour of San Jose that was suggested in one of our guide books, this allowed us to see the main features of the capital city, including it's numerous parks and plazas, and also to visit a couple of museums. </span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634438613884674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6dC903wI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/wLWzM5Xz63w/s320/IMG_0501.JPG" border="0" /><br />The <a href="http://www.museosdecostarica.com/images/mnacionalweb/index.htm">National Museum of Costa Rica</a> is a good place to find out about the history of the country, Pre-Colombian and after Spanish colonisation. Entry was relatively inexpensive too ($5). It is housed in an old fortress, still pitted by bullet holes from the civil war, and there are many exhibition rooms, one section with photographs explaining the building's past life, and a very disappointing butterfly garden. Perhaps the beautiful butterflies don't like living in a fort.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297633645832311842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 192px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT5u5n-FCI/AAAAAAAAANI/natZ73MkIzo/s320/DSC01986.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297633646195052578" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT5u6-dECI/AAAAAAAAANQ/9DJpgWX67Xw/s320/DSC01997.JPG" border="0" /><br />The <a href="http://portal.ins-cr.com/Social/MuseoJade/">Jade Museum</a> houses the largest collection of jade in the Americas and there are also displays of pre-Colombian pottery and sculpture all of which gives an insight into the lives of the indigenous people of Costa Rica. There is also a gold museum in San Jose which we have visited on a previous occasion. To be honest we preferred the gold museum as there was a bit more to see. The jade museum entry cost $7 per person. </span></p><span style="color:#000000;"><p><br /></p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634444676582146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6dZjSSwI/AAAAAAAAAOY/E5AiEDp4B7k/s320/IMG_0512.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297633647857518498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT5vBK0R6I/AAAAAAAAANY/RMsuun9cb1M/s320/DSC02048.JPG" border="0" /><br />Our own private walking tour ended at the grand <a href="http://www.teatronacional.go.cr/">Teatro Nacional</a> which was built thanks to a coffee tax in the 19th century when the country's social elite decided the country was lacking a theatre suitable to attract world class performances. We didn't see any world class performances whilst we were there but we did stop in the theatre's lavish cafe for some top class (but pricey) ice-cream and coffee.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634443414063474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6dU2RyXI/AAAAAAAAAOg/9gY0MDV0FVM/s320/IMG_6135.JPG" border="0" /><br />On Friday we visited <a href="http://www.inbio.ac.cr/inbioparque/es/index.html">INBIOParque</a>. This is a large park and educational area where you can experience various types of Costa Rican ecosystems, see lots of different plants and a few animals, insects and birds too. We were unsure whether we were going to come here with Zoë's parents, but the unfortunate closure of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens due to the earthquake made up our minds for us. We have been here before and enjoyed the feel of the place, so we were quite happy to revisit. We had a lovely few hours strolling around and as a bonus saw a sloth with its baby moving slowing through the trees. Delightful! </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297633650216731010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 230px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT5vJ9TAYI/AAAAAAAAANg/yHESK07A_jM/s320/DSC02070.JPG" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634106530007634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 227px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6Jt23ClI/AAAAAAAAANo/VR8ozCPZP0I/s320/DSC02086.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634438082131442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6dA_C9fI/AAAAAAAAAOI/TWB8gBmqvYk/s320/DSC02128.JPG" border="0" /><br />INBIO also has a man-made lake which is inhabited by various wildlife including iguanas, a real favourite of Zoë's. </span></p><div id="BabelFishHoverTip" style="BORDER-RIGHT: rgb(0,67,179) 1px outset; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: rgb(0,67,179) 1px solid; DISPLAY: none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12px; Z-INDEX: 32716; LEFT: 383px; VISIBILITY: hidden; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; VERTICAL-ALIGN: middle; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(0,67,179) 1px solid; WIDTH: auto! important; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: rgb(0,67,179) 1px outset; FONT-FAMILY: arial; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 17px; HEIGHT: auto; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(168,236,255)" align="absmiddle"></div><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634107946230098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6JzIg4VI/AAAAAAAAAN4/1TeUWctyDLs/s320/DSC02105.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634110145114066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 149px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6J7UxL9I/AAAAAAAAANw/xUw54-_k7_Y/s320/DSC02097.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297634113469589330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYT6KHtYp1I/AAAAAAAAAOA/VcU8YCEMLyc/s320/DSC02119.JPG" border="0" /></span>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-35199686624141438742009-01-28T13:39:00.006-06:002009-01-28T14:09:24.873-06:00Flower Power<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC2K9bD5qI/AAAAAAAAANA/78ekgQWipxg/s1600-h/IMG_6108.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296433461190715042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC2K9bD5qI/AAAAAAAAANA/78ekgQWipxg/s320/IMG_6108.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000000;">On the second day that Zoë’s parents were visiting, we went to Sarchí. On a previous visit to Costa Rica, we went to Sarchí on the bus – first taking a bus from Heredia to Alajuela, and then from Alajuela to Sarchí. This time we were afforded the air-conditioned luxury of our hire car. </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">Sarchí lies 29 km North West of Alajuela, which meant the journey there (along the highway and then through the town of Grecia) took just over an hour (we think … we can’t quite remember). It would probably have taken just under an hour had we not gone round Grecia, with its one way system, twice looking for the signs to Sarchí. Fortunately this gave Zoë’s mum ample opportunity to admire Grecia’s famous metal church. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">Sarchí is famous for its hand-painted oxcarts, which are in themselves a symbol of Costa Rica. On arriving in Sarchí we headed for Sarchí Norte and the giant oxcart that is the <i>monumento a carretas</i> (monument to the carts). This is located right in the centre of the town in the square next to the church. The church of Sarchí Norte is, according to one guide book, “one of the most beautiful in the nation and has a vaulted hardwood ceiling and carvings”, and we have to admit that the carvings were quite impressive. However, it is not lime green and it probably does not glow at sunset as one of the other guide books suggested. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432324951534882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1I0mh7SI/AAAAAAAAALw/h7Mzo_2uJFU/s320/DSC01838.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432319026615250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1Ieh609I/AAAAAAAAALo/sKuZPYH_K6I/s320/DSC01837.JPG" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">After the humungous oxcart, we headed back along the road to Sarchí Sur where we visited the Fábrica de Carretas Joaquín Chaverrí. This has a souvenir store which is appropriately sized in relation to the giant oxcart which was made and painted by one of the former apprentices here. Out the back of the souvenir shop are the workshops where you can see the guys at work during the week. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432324569872258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1IzLiN4I/AAAAAAAAAL4/RXBop1vBOx0/s320/DSC01844.JPG" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432327720338290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1I-6qg3I/AAAAAAAAAMA/gZBGRvOwmWA/s320/DSC01854.JPG" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">Lunch was eaten at the restaurant next door, Restaurante Las Carretas. This restaurant really caters for the tour bus crowds, and had most of its tables and the buffet laid out to cater for these. However, near the front of the restaurant are some tables which are not laid out for the tour buses. You get the option of the buffet, or choosing something from their menu. We went for selections from the menu (Zoë was given the menu in Spanish, while everyone else got a copy in English!) and just as we recalled from our previous visit, it was freshly cooked and delicious. Zoë’s parents tried a Guanábana fresco – the fruit was something they had never heard of. It is one of Colin’s favourite drinks here. While we were eating a group of French people came in, and the waiter came to tell us that things were a little complicated … he kept forgetting which language he had to speak to whom! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">After lunch and souvenir shopping (we also visited the Plaza de la Artesanía and a couple of other stores in the area) we decided to head for the Else Kientzler Botanical Garden in Sarchí Norte. As we had been on public transport previously we had not made it here before, and as we drove around Sarchí Norte looking for the right road it appeared we might not make it there this time!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p><span style="color:#000000;"></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">Eventually, when we did find it, the front gate was closed so we drove on looking for an alternative entrance. Unable to find one we returned to the closed gate and waited. After a short wait a man appeared and Zoë queried (in her best Spanish of course) whether the garden was open. The man confirmed that it was, opened the gate and pointed us in the right direction. The garden is part of a business that exports ornamental plants and is situated behind all the hubbub of the business itself. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="color:#000000;"></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">Entrance to the garden cost us $14 each, and we were informed that 11 years previously the seven hectares which it covers were a coffee plantation. Since then they have created a garden with a great diversity of tropical plants. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296433451146550978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC2KYAWHsI/AAAAAAAAAMw/8Ds1Tn9iEXQ/s320/IMG_0482.JPG" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432905835889650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1qokJw_I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/3aermCbwsX4/s320/DSC01882.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432900158727762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1qTanJlI/AAAAAAAAAMI/OF5gUzgMs68/s320/DSC01879.JPG" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">There were many different sections along the various trails you could walk in the garden including a hibiscus garden, palm garden, heliconia garden, bromeliads, orchids and a succulents garden. Colin especially liked the succulents garden, with all its different cacti, because it reminded him of the Winter Gardens in Aberdeen except that it was all outside! The gardens were bordered by a river on one side, and a water canal on the other, and also included a lake. About 40% of the area has been designed with ramps and paths suitable for wheelchair access, though there are some steep bits as there is a large overall change in height of the garden. <span style="font-size:0;"></span>There was also a central picnic area and a large children’s play area which looked very adventurous – unfortunately with no child available we didn’t have an excuse to investigate further. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432910498902034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1q575sBI/AAAAAAAAAMY/I734M-T0esg/s320/DSC01943.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296433449376455586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC2KRaUm6I/AAAAAAAAAMo/w8hXBbv8kUo/s320/IMG_0477.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296432920529311282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC1rfTVljI/AAAAAAAAAMg/_h4RhMQVEfg/s320/DSC01947.JPG" border="0" /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">It was a peaceful place, and at the time we visited we were the only visitors! We don’t know whether this was to do with the closed gate or the time of year (not the most flowering of months). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">After the gardens it was time to head back to Alajuela, this time via a more scenic route than the highway, where we dropped off Zoë’s parents and went to drop off the hire car. Zoë’s parents had an hour and a half to explore Alajuela by themselves before we met them for dinner at Jalapeños and caught the bus back to Heredia. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#000000;">Driving in Costa Rica wasn’t as bad as Colin feared. We didn’t come across any crazy drivers, there wasn’t frequent honking of horns, and the only problems we really encountered were with the multitude of one-way systems that exist in the centres of towns here. This was a particular problem in Grecia, where Colin briefly went the wrong way up a one way street and found a policeman on a motorbike heading towards him. The policeman didn’t bat an eyelid. So maybe this is not a rare occurrence here.<span style="font-size:0;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:0;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296433460267484754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SYC2K5-8hlI/AAAAAAAAAM4/oC2nAOrR0OU/s320/IMG_0493.JPG" border="0" /></span></p>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-50372033754608900332009-01-26T17:28:00.004-06:002009-01-26T17:44:47.250-06:00Coffee Time<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5IY0hVuyI/AAAAAAAAALg/WCVnSNdecJQ/s1600-h/IMG_6060.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295749803086822178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5IY0hVuyI/AAAAAAAAALg/WCVnSNdecJQ/s320/IMG_6060.JPG" border="0" /></a>This week we have had the opportunity to be tourists whilst on our Costa Rican adventure. Zoë's parents arrived on Monday (or at least they were supposed to arrive on Monday, but it turned out to be about 1.30am on Tuesday morning, delayed due to snow at Newark Airport) which means that we've had a busy week visiting various tourist attractions. And Colin has had to drive on Costa Rican roads for the first time.<br /><br />On Tuesday, we visited the <a href="http://www.dokaestate.com/">Doka Estate</a>, a coffee plantation and wet mill about 10 km north of Alajuela. On a previous visit to Costa Rica we went on the tour at Cafe Britt, which is very local to us (about a 45 minute walk), so we thought we'd see what a different coffee place was like. Coffee has been grown on the Doka Estate since 1919, and run by the Vargas family since 1940. This give the coffee it's name: Tres Generaciones/Three Generations.<br /><br />As we arrived about midday we decided to have lunch before the tour; tour and lunch combined cost $26 each. This gave Zoë's parents an early opportunity to sample a traditional casado and fresco. The tour was due to start at 1.30pm, but our guide (Carlos) came to get us about 12.45 to tell us that he would start the tour early (at 1pm) and that we could spend the next 15 minutes, if we wished, in their new (not yet open to the public) butterfly garden. This was still in the process of getting its finishing touches, but looks like it will be really nice once completed. Already there were many butterflies to watch around the new plantings. <div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295749325157059266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5H9AGASsI/AAAAAAAAAK4/pi495T5-3vs/s320/DSC01786.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295749322149336914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5H8046F1I/AAAAAAAAAKw/pAoyFkwRlZE/s320/DSC01785.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>The coffee tour itself was very interesting and informative, and very different to that of Cafe Britt. Where Cafe Britt use actors to bring the history of coffee production in Costa Rica to life, this tour is more focused on providing us with information. And lots of it. There were also a lot less people than when we did the Cafe Britt tour - the tour started with just the 4 of us, and two other people joined us later. This made it feel much more personal. We were shown plants at different stages of growth, the structure of the coffee fruit (which we learned belongs to the cherry family), we went into the plantation and looked at ripe, underripe and overripe fruits and visited the wet mill where the beans are sorted, peeled and then dried. </div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295749332272878626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5H9amjFCI/AAAAAAAAALA/8fHjXhBoz3M/s320/DSC01801.JPG" border="0" /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295749336498216690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5H9qV8nvI/AAAAAAAAALI/M90zeWpDvxA/s320/DSC01804.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>Finally we visited the roasting area and shown the different types of Coffee that the estate produces. We then, of course, had the opportunity to sample and purchase the different roasts. All the way through the tour Carlos shared his enthusiasm and knowledge about the Doka estate and its processes, and answered every question posed to him. </div><div> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295749803343120258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5IY1ech4I/AAAAAAAAALQ/5b3jmXgHXtQ/s320/DSC01816.JPG" border="0" /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295749803145465458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SX5IY0vUjnI/AAAAAAAAALY/pz5WzAvLTo4/s320/DSC01828.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p>Despite the wonderful tour, all the tasting, and two months in Costa Rica, Zoë still doesn't like coffee!</p>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-6318026607830802452009-01-19T10:18:00.004-06:002009-01-19T10:34:36.748-06:00Col's (& Zoë's) Creature Watch #5This week’s creature watch comes from both Colin & Zoë, because Zoë has a particular fondness of these creatures and she also happened to take most of the photos.<br /><br />We encounter these little fellows almost every day in the garden, and sometimes they accidentally wander indoors, which results in Zoë persuading them to take a trip in a glass so they can be transported to their home outside.<br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293040608022704082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 183px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SXSoY6bpL9I/AAAAAAAAAKo/Z-ubk4w55T8/s320/DSC01768.JPG" border="0" /><br />The first little lizards are those that we find in the front garden, and it is these that occasionally make their way indoors. These fellows look somewhat like little mini crocs – very scaly. Several of them have now had a trip in an alien glass spaceship…perhaps the first one enjoyed it so much he went back to tell his friends? </p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293040605815989618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 188px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SXSoYyNhZXI/AAAAAAAAAKg/MQNynicGmZM/s320/DSC01762.JPG" border="0" />The second one is not very scaly at all … a bit of a problem given that the definition of a lizard is "a four-legged reptile with a long body and tail, movable eyelids, and a rough, scaly, or spiny skin" (according to the Oxford English Dictionary). He looks bald and smooth and the wrinkles around his neck make him look like an “old guy”, though he probably isn't. He scurries away from us when we water the back garden.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293040595196618338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SXSoYKpqpmI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/NKeCuFDwDVM/s320/DSC01611.JPG" border="0" />This third type we encountered on our hike up <a href="http://left4costarica.blogspot.com/2009/01/zo-co-versus-volcano.html">Barva</a>. He stopped in the middle of the road when he saw us walking in his direction … and posed beautifully for photos. Perhaps he was showing off his beautiful T stripes.</p><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293040600847582290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SXSoYfs9hFI/AAAAAAAAAKY/KoG3ZDmm1xM/s320/DSC01626.JPG" border="0" /></p>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-29875815860235869732009-01-14T16:17:00.004-06:002009-01-14T16:49:49.482-06:00Not Rice and BeansSince the <span style="font-style:italic;">terremoto</span> last Thursday things have, thankfully, been a lot quieter here. We have still experienced the odd <span style="font-style:italic;">temblor</span> but nothing too bad. This last week has seen us consume some good food which has proven to be a nice change from the rice & beans, or omelettes that we seem to have been living on a lot (but not all) of the time.<br /><br />On Friday we took the bus down to the neighbouring city of Alajuela, primarily to check out that the bus went past the airport and the location of where we are hiring a car for next week's visit of Zoë's parents. We took advantage of our trip to Alajuela to have lunch in a fine Tex-Mex eatery that we discovered on our previous trip here. It is called <a href="http://www.pbase.com/image/75563235">Jalapeños</a> and although it is small and looks more like a fast-food location than a restaurant, the quality of the food is excellent. Zoë had a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quesadilla">Quesadilla</a> (to help satisfy the withdrawal symptoms of lack of cheese she has been having since arriving in Costa Rica - cheese here is VERY expensive compared to the UK) and Colin tried a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalupa">Chalupa</a> for the first time.<br /><br />On Sunday we went down to the centre of Heredia to see if we could find a bar/restaurant that might show the <a href="http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_id=54462&season=2008&displayPage=tab_gamecenter">Steelers playoff game</a> (to help satisfy the withdrawal symptoms of the lack of American football Colin has been having since arriving in Costa Rica). We ended up in a nice place near the Palacio de los Deportes which did have a TV showing sports, but unfortunately at this time it was showing the Man Utd Chelsea game and not NFL (one of the few times Colin was sad to see football on the telly). The bar/restaurant was called "<a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g309256-d844686-Reviews-El_Cholo-Heredia_Province_of_Heredia.html">El Cholo</a>" and the owner is obviously a big FC Barcelona fan as there were flags and pictures of players and "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_Nou">El Camp Nou</a>" stadium all over the walls. Despite the lack of any American football we stayed to have something to eat and drink. We went for a <span style="font-style:italic;">Plato Especial</span> which was a fine mixture of different Spanish style tapas and they were delicious (and a lot cheaper than you would pay in <a href="http://www.latasca.co.uk/">La Tasca</a> in the UK).<br /><br />On Monday we met with our two Spanish teachers, <a href="http://left4costarica.blogspot.com/2008/12/school-days.html">Wes and Rafa</a>, to have dinner with them and their friend Fred. Fred is originally from Oregon in the U.S. but had studied at the University of Aberdeen for a year in the 1980s. Fred had (mostly) fond memories of his time in Aberdeen and remembered various drinking establishments, some of which are still in existence. Less fondly remembered was the biting wind and freezing cold days of winter. He still has a penchant for the group <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runrig">Runrig</a> developed in his time at Aberdeen. Wes cooked a delicious two course meal for us - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pad_thai">Pad Thai</a> with Pork (originally it was to be with chicken, but the chicken was deemed off :-) ) followed by <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_pudding">arroz con leche</a></span> (yummm).<br /><br />On Tuesday we had.... omelette.Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-54164810599167897972009-01-08T17:55:00.005-06:002009-01-08T18:29:47.955-06:00That's not an earthquake...<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar">es>en </span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div>THAT's an earthquake!<br /><br />Apparently there are different words that Costa Ricans use to describe the severity of earthquakes or tremors, from sacudidos (small shakes), through temblores (tremblings) to terremotos (serious quakes). It just so happened that Zoë was reading this very information at about 1:20pm today when the whole house started to shake. This was not the same small rumble that I experienced for a few seconds yesterday, this was "the walls are moving and things are falling off shelves" experience. It lasted about 20 seconds and there have been smaller tremors occurring all afternoon since. After my post yesterday Peter warned me to be careful with what I write (i.e. my slight exaggeration seems to have now come true), so I will just report that the Costa Rican news (<a href="http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2009/enero/08/sucesos1833007.html"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">lanacion</span> </a>& <a href="http://www.teletica.com/sismo.php?idp=1">teletica</a>) are calling it a terremoto de 6.2 grados - which I translate as an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2.<br /><br />It looks like the epicentre was near Volcan Poas and unfortunately there have been at least two casualties and many are still trapped in buildings and rubble. It is apparently the strongest quake here for 20 years and I see that it has even made the world (<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7819094.stm">BBC</a>) and even our local news in Scotland (<a href="http://news.stv.tv/world/68837-magnitude-62-quake-strikes-costa-rica/">STV</a>)!<br /><br />This <a href="http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=LY_U4acpWrQ">YouTube</a> footage shows the strength of the tremor (especially at time 0:50).<br /><br />From the <a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2009bpba.php">U.S. Geological Survey</a> website:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWaWfJdQFII/AAAAAAAAACs/6Q__3o_aXBM/s1600-h/shakeintensitymap.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 341px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWaWfJdQFII/AAAAAAAAACs/6Q__3o_aXBM/s400/shakeintensitymap.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289080274251945090" border="0" /></a><br />Life can often be quiet and slow here in Costa Rica, but it is rarely boring.<br /><br /><br /><div style="border-style: solid outset outset solid; border-color: rgb(0, 67, 179); border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; left: 667px; top: 666px; height: auto; width: auto; z-index: 32716; display: none; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); vertical-align: middle; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;" id="gmbabelToolTip" align="absmiddle"></div>Colhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16216284872515226084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-50234254700583439112009-01-07T10:38:00.000-06:002009-01-07T11:09:20.130-06:00Earthquake!!!<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar">es>en </span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/gif;base64,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" align="middle" /></div><span></span></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar">es>en </span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div>At around 10am this morning, I was sitting looking through e-mails on the computer. I had literally just clicked send on an e-mail when the room starting shaking. Had the e-mail been too much for the telephone system in Costa Rica? Or had the content angered the gods? It would seem that neither was true, but rather I had just experienced my first earthquake (or tremor, but quake sounds more impressive).<br /><br />It only lasted about 3 seconds, but it was an unusual experience to feel the room move about without having first drunk 5 pints of Stella Artois.<br /><br />Here's a seismic graph showing that I didn't just imagine it (from the Heredia seismic monitor section of the web site of <a href="http://www.ovsicori.una.ac.cr/sismologia/sismogramas_linea.htm">El Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica</a>):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWTerVhwsgI/AAAAAAAAACU/iQnQurxeiVs/s1600-h/HDC3_BHZ_OV_00.2009010700.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWTerVhwsgI/AAAAAAAAACU/iQnQurxeiVs/s320/HDC3_BHZ_OV_00.2009010700.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288596698534294018" border="0" /></a><br />Zoë, who was upstairs in the bathroom at the time, felt nothing.<br /><br /><div style="border-style: solid outset outset solid; border-color: rgb(0, 67, 179); border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; left: 423px; top: 22px; height: auto; width: auto; z-index: 32716; display: none; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); vertical-align: middle; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;" id="gmbabelToolTip" align="absmiddle"></div>Colhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16216284872515226084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-89581907582540891942009-01-06T17:29:00.000-06:002009-01-06T17:51:32.120-06:00Col's Creature Watch #4<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span></span></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span></span></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span></span></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar">es>en </span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWPrAF_N-iI/AAAAAAAAACM/zj4vGE9eCgk/s1600-h/strangeinsect3-crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWPrAF_N-iI/AAAAAAAAACM/zj4vGE9eCgk/s320/strangeinsect3-crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288328774302956066" border="0" /></a><br />Here's a strange insect that I found sitting on the patio doors this afternoon. In fact there were two of them. Not sure what it is, I thought it looked kind of stick insect like but with horns - you gotta love any insect with horns! However, subsequent research (by Zoë) seems to suggest it may be a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plume_moth">plume moth</a> with it's wings rolled up. I'm not sure. Answers on a postcard please (or via a comment).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWPq_kJq2II/AAAAAAAAAB8/AYFeQnQ3qLc/s1600-h/strangeinsect1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SWPq_kJq2II/AAAAAAAAAB8/AYFeQnQ3qLc/s320/strangeinsect1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288328765219985538" border="0" /></a><br />Oh and no Dave, I did not squash it. :-)<br /><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From Spanish To English" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar">es>en </span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span></span></div><div style="border-style: solid outset outset solid; border-color: rgb(0, 67, 179); border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; left: 251px; top: 233px; height: auto; width: auto; z-index: 32716; display: none; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); vertical-align: middle; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;" id="gmbabelToolTip" align="absmiddle"></div>Colhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16216284872515226084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-19026544963795300152009-01-05T16:28:00.000-06:002009-01-05T18:17:40.411-06:00Zo & Co versus the VolcanoWhilst we have been here in Costa Rica we have done a lot of walking – walking to Heredia, walking to San Rafael, walking to markets and supermarkets, etc. But on Sunday we undertook our biggest walking challenge yet – to walk up a volcano!<br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287944715717051218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKNs8Q4A1I/AAAAAAAAAIw/b4PjAUHMS-0/s320/DSC01609.JPG" border="0" /></p><span style="font-size:78%;"><center>View of Volcán Barva from Heredia</center></span>Costa Rica has 7 active volcanoes plus 60 dormant or extinct ones. Two of these volcanoes are within relatively close proximity to where we live and we can see both of them from our back garden. Volcán Poás (active, about 15 miles away as the crow flies) is a very popular tourist destination and is within easy reach if you have a car as you can drive almost to the top, with only a short walk required. Poás is quite active and had its last major eruption in the 1950s, with more recent explosions in 1989 and 1994. Closer to us – in fact we live on its lower slopes - is Volcán Barva (dormant, about 8 miles away as the crow flies), however this is less visited as if you wish to drive up it, possible in dry season if you have a 4x4, you still have close to a one hour walk to get to the top. For the more adventurous, or fit, or carless (please choose which group you think we fit into best) you need to catch a bus to a very small village which lies about halfway up the Volcano and then walk the rest of the way up. So this is the challenge that we took on yesterday. The good news is that Volcán Barva has not erupted for about 500 years, so we didn’t think there was much chance of us needing to start running back down again.<br /><br />There are only three buses a day from Heredia to the very small village of Porrosatí (but known as Paso Llano, especially to the bus drivers) and in order to give yourself time to climb the volcano and rest a bit you really need to catch the first bus in the morning (on Sunday this was 6:45am) and then catch the last bus back to Heredia at the end of the afternoon (on Sunday this was 5:20pm). The bus takes about 45 minutes from Heredia. Don’t believe the guide books that say you can get up and down in time to catch the 1pm bus back from Paso Llano – only possible if a) you are superfit and don’t want to rest or b) you hitch a ride on the way up or down or both.<br /></span><br />After arriving at Paso Llano, we could see that there were four other brave souls embarking on the same adventure as ourselves – a couple of Costa Rican <em>hombres</em> who were probably in their early forties and looked well prepared for the hike, and a couple of <em>muchachos</em> in their early twenties who looked less prepared and we think were not Costa Rican, but visiting from another Latin American country. Throughout the day we would continue to bump into these fellow walkers at different points up and down the volcano.<br /><br />The bus stops in Paso Llano in front of Chago’s (a bar restaurant). From Paso Llano you follow the road signposted to Sacramento, on the way you pass a couple of restaurants (at one we availed ourselves of the facilities on the way up, and had a meal on the way down), and get glorious views of the Central Valley. To Sacramento it was a walking distance of 2.5 miles and an increase in altitude of around 1100 feet. With the short “comfort stop” this took us about 1 hour and 20 minutes. In Sacramento there is also a nice looking bar/restaurant but we just kept on walking. A couple of minutes later we encountered the hombres having a rest on a shady bank, where they had been joined by a black dog who they had nicknamed Negro.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287944721022613298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKNtQB0dzI/AAAAAAAAAJA/a7AtFnKG2Vg/s320/DSC01646.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;"><center>A view of the Central Valley taken on the way up Barva.</center><br /></span>As we walked past, the dog got up and followed us. We could not shake Negro off. From Sacramento it is about another 2 miles with an increase in altitude of about 1350 feet to the ranger station at the entrance to Parque Nacional Baulio Carrillio (Barva Section). This took us about another 1 hour and 20 minutes – with no comfort break this time, just the necessary breaks to get our (read that as “mostly Zoë”) breath back. We enjoyed the company of Negro on the way from Sacramento; he acted like a cheerleader with boundless enthusiasm and energy. He hardly ever barked even when other smaller dogs were yapping at him, although he did seem to having something against cows at which time he would start barking. Perhaps he was just trying to move them off the road for us so that we had a clear path.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287944719998868802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKNtMNvXUI/AAAAAAAAAI4/xbC0YgV9Tj4/s320/DSC01637.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;"><center>Colin with our new friend, Negro, on the way up the volcano.</center></span><br />While we were walking up the road we saw lots of people coming past in their 4x4s (and some in rather decrepit non-4x4s). We also saw an open lorry full of people. It probably would have been quite easy to hitch a lift if we had wanted to. As we neared the ranger station a bunch of well-dressed folk (shirts and ties for the men, pretty dresses for the women), who didn’t look like they’d gone up the mountain for a walk in the park, were walking down the hill. Some of them stopped to talk to us, at which point we realised they were Jehovah’s Witnesses. We had seen a small private bus making its way up earlier, and then coming down empty. We think that the driver had dropped the Jehovah’s Witnesses at the top and they were now making their way down, talking to people and giving out magazines as they went. Interestingly, although they were in a group, they were still walking in pairs!<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287944729268177202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKNtuvtyTI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/yQRX8JcIRCs/s320/IMG_0403.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;"><center>The lorry, the hombres and Negro.</center></span><br />To enter the park, as non-residents, we paid $8 each. If you are a resident it costs 1000 colones (about $2). This ensures that Costa Ricans are able to take advantage of their national parks, while ensuring that the tourists who can (generally) afford more make up the money to maintain them. At the ranger station we once again encountered the hombres and muchachos who were having a short rest before making the walk through the park to the lagoon. The hombres set off before us, and Negro decided to go with them once more. The ranger station itself has toilets and drinkable water, very useful after you have hiked from Paso Llano.<br /><br />There are four paths available to walk in the park. The main path leads to the Barva lagoon. The Cacho Venado runs off and adjacent to this main path, but is narrower and runs deeper through the forest, before returning to join it before the lagoon. There is also the Copey Path which runs to a second lagoon. Finally there is another path which leads to the Mirador (viewpoint) Vara Blanca.<br /><br />We took the Cacho Venado path on our way to the Barva lagoon. Whilst walking this route you really feel that you are deep in the cloud forest as the tree cover is mostly dense, the path very narrow and at times you had to climb under or over fallen trees. Perhaps because of this it was also very quiet compared to the main path (which at times was very busy with families who had obviously driven up, perhaps this was because it was a Sunday), with very few encounters with other walkers.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287947145664481538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKP6YhfSQI/AAAAAAAAAJw/Tkt-dqFb0Hs/s320/IMG_0405.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;"> <center>Cacho Venado path</center></span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287944722447734450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKNtVVmFrI/AAAAAAAAAJI/6pNR0j4-LpY/s320/DSC01657.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;"><center>Main path</center></span><br />The final part of main path to Barva lagoon is quite short but also quite steep (about a 300 feet ascent over 0.2 miles) with numerous steps to climb if you want to go to the main observation point overlooking the lagoon. However it was worth it as you get a very good view over the lagoon that has developed in the main crater of this volcano. We also took this opportunity to rest and have our lunch, as did a few others (including the muchachos).<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287942468820288674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 117px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKLqJ68RKI/AAAAAAAAAIY/useG5yrxiII/s320/barvalagoonpana1.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287942471409058306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 107px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKLqTkJwgI/AAAAAAAAAIg/nVaKWhcBBvk/s320/barvalagoonpana2.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;"><center>Barva lagoon - taken from the two viewpoints:<br />above at the highest point and then at the lagoon level</center></span><br />After lunch we walked back along the main path before walking along to the Mirador Vara Blanca. This was a very pleasant walk, at times with grass underfoot and we could have been walking in Scotland. This path was also quite quiet and there were not too many people at the lookout. It says in the guidebooks that on a clear day you can see all the way to the Carribean. It wasn’t clear enough on this day, but we did still get a very good view across Vara Blanca to Volcán Poás. Here at the lookout we encountered Negro with the hombres and as we set off back to the ranger station Negro decided to join us again.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287942476688331522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 89px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKLqnO1EwI/AAAAAAAAAIo/wGUmB0Gp56M/s320/barvaviewpana2.JPG" border="0" /> <span style="font-size:78%;"><center>Volcán Poás across the Vara Blanca from the viewpoint.</center></span><br />After a brief stop at the ranger station we started our journey back down the hill (without Negro, who after meeting them at the ranger station headed off with the hombres). Going down was much easier than coming up but had its own hazards (including slipping on the scree on the unmade road between the ranger station and Sacramento and developing sore toes from your feet continually pointing downhill). We even got offered a lift on the open lorry going back down, but declined as we were determined to walk the whole way down considering we had already done the hard work on the way up. On the way to Sacramento we passed the hombres who had stopped to admire something geological and after a moment of hesitation Negro joined us for the rest of the way down.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287947153998348946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKP63kcApI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/0KQpA9ynJBU/s320/IMG_0445.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;"> <center>Striding along on the way back down.</center><br /></span>We stopped for something to eat - a <em>casado</em> with a nice <em>chuleta</em> (pork chop) - at the Bar Restaurant La Campesina halfway between Sacramento and Paso Llano. Even after this 45 minute stop Negro was still outside waiting for us when we recommenced our journey.<br /><br />We eventually arrived back at the bus stop in Paso Llano just before 5pm where the hombres and muchachos were already waiting (unlike us, the muchachos had taken up an offer of a lift down the hill in the back of a truck, and came sailing past us while we still had about 20 minutes left to walk). There were many smiles and much laughter when Negro followed us round the corner too. The bus left at 5:20pm and we left Negro at the bus stop, presumably waiting to accompany and encourage a new group of hikers the next day.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287947160409357330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKP7Pc8PBI/AAAAAAAAAKA/8u8vA68bxK8/s320/IMG_0446.JPG" border="0" /><span style="font-size:78%;"> <center>Exhausted but happy, waiting for the bus home.</center></span><br />We had walked for almost 15 miles, climbed and descended over 3000 feet to a maximum of around 9500 feet, and it had taken about 9 hours including stops ... but we had done it and we felt good (albeit tired and with sore feet).<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKi6B6UcgI/AAAAAAAAAKI/iQwvdysrGHI/s1600-h/barvagraph.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 86px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SWKi6B6UcgI/AAAAAAAAAKI/iQwvdysrGHI/s320/barvagraph.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287968030315540994" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><center>Graph of the altitude during the walk;<br />data exported from Colin's fancy GPS doodad.</center></span>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-84214064205906813822009-01-02T16:31:00.000-06:002009-01-02T17:10:35.942-06:00Rain or Shine<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SV6b4jriAKI/AAAAAAAAABM/EGX9ygOx7qE/s1600-h/DSC01381.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286834408532344994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SV6b4jriAKI/AAAAAAAAABM/EGX9ygOx7qE/s320/DSC01381.JPG" border="0" /></a>Please note the umbrellas in the above picture which was taken at <a href="http://left4costarica.blogspot.com/2008/12/toros-la-tica.html">Toros a la Tica</a>. It was clearly not raining. We saw this occurrence at <a href="http://left4costarica.blogspot.com/2008/12/horsing-around-in-san-jose.html">El Tope</a> as well – an umbrella here is an all-weather accessory: keeping you somewhat dry when it rains, and keeping you in the shade when the sun is beating down. <a href="http://left4costarica.blogspot.com/2008/12/school-days.html">Wes </a>told me that here only black umbrellas are called “<em>paraguas</em>” (literally: for waters, i.e. umbrella), any other colour and it is a “<em>sombrilla</em>” (from <em>sombra</em> meaning shade). Of course, the colour is irrelevant because both <em>sombrillas</em> and <em>paraguas</em> can be used for either purpose.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SV6b4AcqeTI/AAAAAAAAABE/DX4Xouo28cY/s1600-h/DSC01251.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286834399074744626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SV6b4AcqeTI/AAAAAAAAABE/DX4Xouo28cY/s320/DSC01251.JPG" border="0" /></a>Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10989251319820025656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-7985818542503011582009-01-01T16:42:00.000-06:002009-01-01T17:07:49.151-06:00Happy New Year!<p>In a <a href="http://left4costarica.blogspot.com/2008/12/where-we-are.html">previous post</a> we mentioned that our home in Costa Rica has a wonderful view over the Central Valley to the west. Last night we took full advantage of this to see in the New Year.</p><p>We spent the last couple of hours of 2008 at the house of the daughter of our friends Peter & Victoria, where the family had gathered for food, drink, games, singing and dancing. Just before midnight, we returned to our home with Peter to welcome in 2009.</p><p>Peter had previously told us that the there is always quite a display of New Year fireworks and although we had previously seen lots of fireworks at Christmas we were eager to see what it was going to be like.</p><p>By the time we arrived at the house, the valley was already alive with fireworks and as Colin & Peter toasted the New Year with their glasses of whisky the fireworks reached a crescendo indicating midnight.</p><p>It truly was spectacular to see, hear and even smell so many fireworks across such a large area. The show continued for around 45 minutes and we will probably never experience anything like it again.</p><p>The video below can’t possibly show how spectacular it all was, as this is just about 10% of the view and the quality isn’t amazing, but we hope it gives you an idea. </p><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw3DuROGqxM_8R3580rYWOyISQ8M_NdWE3EyDJtv6ukbd-CewGx9kF7Kf8JR1e6kDpIf_H-2kYLDtqjRpv-KA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-9497807270204189562008-12-30T18:48:00.000-06:002008-12-30T21:02:02.995-06:00Toros a la Tica<div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrOSkSZ2MI/AAAAAAAAAAM/GgrqFoxPbKk/s1600-h/DSC01353.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285763931046533314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrOSkSZ2MI/AAAAAAAAAAM/GgrqFoxPbKk/s400/DSC01353.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="left"><br /></div><p align="left">Having not had our fill of <a href="http://left4costarica.blogspot.com/2008/12/horsing-around-in-san-jose.html">farmyard animals</a>, Colin thought he would find out whether he was allergic to bulls as well as horses. So yesterday, we went to see <em>Toros a la Tica</em>. <em>Las corridas</em> (literally: the runnings) of the bulls is the Costa Rican answer to bullfighting. This event takes place in many locations around Costa Rica, but at this time of year the main event is at the Fiestas San Jose (which opened on the 25th December and ends on the 4th January). Toros a la Tica is very popular and is shown live on national television.</p><p align="left">Fiestas San Jose is a huge party with fairground rides, megabars, concession stands and of course Toros a la Tica, which takes place in Zapote on the other side of San Jose to where we live. To get there we had to take a bus into central San Jose and then another bus out to Zapote. Total cost one way, for one person, was 480 colones – a bargain considering that parking at the Fiestas costs between 2500 and 7000 colones. We weren’t quite sure where to get off the bus in Zapote but it became obvious when we saw the cordoned off roads, police officers and tall structures of fairground rides.</p><p align="left">We arrived shortly before 12 noon, and as we wandered through the quiet fairground – most of the stalls were still closed or just opening - we saw a queue forming at the <em>boleteria</em> (ticket office) of the <em>redondel</em> (bull ring). So we joined it without knowing how long we would have to stand there. </p><p align="left">Fortunately for us, the ticket office opened shortly after 12 noon and the queue started to move. Upon reaching the front of the queue we encountered an improbably small and low down hole in the wall (you had to bend down and even then it was difficult to see the person you were talking to). We managed to get our tickets for the afternoon <em>toros</em> without a problem, they cost 5000 colones each.</p><p align="left">After leaving the fairgrounds in search of something to eat (we stumbled across the Zapote branch of Vishnu, a nice vegetarian eatery which has a branch in Heredia), we returned just before 2pm to find small queues at each of the entrances to the <em>redondel</em>. So once again we joined the queue without knowing how long we would have to stand there. Again, fortunately for us, the doors opened about 20 minutes after we joined the queue (just after 2pm).</p><p align="left">When we entered the <em>redondel</em> we were greeted by about 8 rows of “seats” – somewhat like an amphitheatre where the “seats” are also the steps. We made our way to the top and sat down. In hindsight we’d have entered at a gate slightly further round the <em>redondel</em> so that we had a seat in the shade as it quickly became very hot. We dutifully applied more suncream, but being in the sun also meant that Colin had the opportunity/perfect excuse to buy a cowboy hat to provide some shade (Zoë had taken a hat with her).</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285764602338177682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrO5pCzcpI/AAAAAAAAAAU/8JE-XUrSddc/s320/DSC01213.JPG" border="0" /> <p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"> I’m a cowboy. Howdy, howdy, howdy.</span></p><p align="left">The first hour was filled with <em>pasayos</em>, oxcarts and a marching band from Guanacaste advertising the Fiestas in Santa Cruz in January. There were also some folk on horses (the horses appeared to be marking time – though Colin thought they were moonwalking), an announcer wearing yellow, and another guy dressed as a clown with a red nose. There was also a man in drag who arrived on an oxcart and made frequent appearances throughout the afternoon running with the bulls, acting as a cheerleader and jumping on and kissing men in the crowd after leading chants of “<em>Beso, beso, beso</em>” (“Kiss, kiss, kiss”), after which he would give them a prize of a stuffed toy. </p><p align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285764605897406642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrO52TY-LI/AAAAAAAAAAc/pmoWqcyCWRE/s320/DSC01332.JPG" border="0" /> At 3pm, about 100 young (mostly) men* entered the ring. They gathered together while a prayer was said, and then it was time for the first bull. They huddled round the gate, from which the bull would enter, before running away as soon as the gate was opened. Several seconds later the bull came careering out, to cheers from the crowd. Once the bulls initial charge was over, the men proceeded to try to get as close to the bull as possible and provoke it into charging at them.<br /></p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxzZk1UnARzICU13iZgbzQjpvA7HNDcuWyv_Mtw9eEpzUhV7OoP-tEYrM8X_1fgrF_EcBiOPzpH2HpHGEg6ZQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><div align="left">They employed several methods to achieve this: waving an article of clothing at the bull (for example a scarf or t-shirt) like a Spanish matadors cape, kneeling down with arms outstretched in the bulls eyeline, jumping around waving their arms, or running quickly past the bull (brave men ran in front of the bull, those not so brave ran behind it patting its buttocks a they passed). Most of these attempts at provoking the bull had no effect whatsoever, and the bull just looked on with either disdain or confusion (depending on the age and experience of the bull). However, occasionally, the bull would enter into the spirit of the game and charge at one of the young men. This would always encourage large cheers from the crowd.<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285764688991080514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrO-r2d0EI/AAAAAAAAAA0/yXi8eK3Ns6Q/s320/DSC01468.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="left">On the very odd occasion that the bull caught up with one of the men and either trampled him or tried to gore him with his horns, the crowd would go silent until the man got up. Whereupon, there would be a <strong>really </strong>loud cheer. We are not sure whether this cheer was for the man or for the bull.<br /><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285772757034898258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrWUTqAk1I/AAAAAAAAAA8/ntJE_v7zS4w/s320/IMG_0316.JPG" border="0" /> Whenever one of the men did have a close encounter with the bull, their first stop was to get interviewed (and of course show their battlescars to the cameras) and then on to visit the <em>Cruz Roja </em>(Red Cross) for treatment if necessary.<br /><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwV4j6zYD0PSjTT0LpYv6I2CsWZfUl2zk8LApTbfTNNNSUdzW7hfqnltc8OsPSTV3w3-w6zeeKSHLM3NsYB' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><div align="left">Each round lasted between 10 and 20 minutes, whereupon two cowboys on horseback would come out to lasso the bull and take him away. Then it was time for another bull to come out. Sometimes, there would be a different challenge: occasionally, the bull would come out with a rider on his back, and there was a strange game that involved three men standing on beer crates while another man ran around them being chased by the bull (the object seemed to be to stay on the crates).<br /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285764670191457010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 285px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrO9l0SUvI/AAAAAAAAAAs/f1MjFLgiCyo/s320/DSC01378.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="left">The last round finished at about 6pm, and the unluckiest man in the ring (who had turned his back on the bull thinking it was all over) was attacked by the bull as the cowboys were coming out. He was taken out of the ring by his fellow young men, and although he was then scooted off to the Red Cross on a stretcher he did have the wherewithal to ask for his cap back (which the bull had trampled in to the dirt) before being taken out of the ring, so we don’t think he was that badly injured. And we didn’t see any blood as he was taken past us. </div><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Overall, it was a fun (if somewhat bizarre) afternoon. We didn’t want to see people being trampled or gored, but at the same time when the bull charged it did add some excitement to what otherwise looked like 100 young men running around playing “tag” in the playground. To the Ticos, this is a national sport and a fun, family, day out. When you go to the <em>toros</em> you are hoping for something to happen, but at the same time, hoping it won’t. As with many spectator sports a lot of the attraction is the atmosphere.<br /></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285764611995398882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NTbyr3mjqNw/SVrO6NBQ8uI/AAAAAAAAAAk/9o--m1JH4u0/s320/DSC01364.JPG" border="0" /> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">This bull decided to change the game by entering the "safety zone", </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">causing the men to flee into the ring, rather than out of it.</span></div><br /><div align="left">All in all, it seems that this is a somewhat more civilised (if you can call it that) way to mess about with bulls in a ring than anything involving a matador. The word matador comes from the Spanish word <em>matar</em>, meaning "to kill". At least here the bulls seem to be the stars of the show, and leave the <em>redondel</em> alive (and often kicking), if maybe a bit miffed or bemused. </div><br /><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;">*There were no women in the ring. Either they are not allowed to take part, or they are just more sensible.</span> </div>Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10989251319820025656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-55862119442542194802008-12-26T20:53:00.000-06:002008-12-26T22:27:32.325-06:00Horsing around in San Jose<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWsfHqo7MI/AAAAAAAAAII/uQEqdv6BeLY/s1600-h/DSC00806.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284319388422958274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWsfHqo7MI/AAAAAAAAAII/uQEqdv6BeLY/s320/DSC00806.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="color:#000000;">December 26<sup>th</sup> was not a typical Boxing Day (for us). We took the bus into San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, to see <em>El Tope</em>. The bus journey into San Jose was unusual because it only took 30 minutes – normally this would take at least an hour. El Tope is an annual horse parade which travels along the main avenues in San Jose.<br /><br />As we were having a general wander around downtown San Jose, we noticed that people were already filling up the sides of the streets in order to get the best positions for viewing the parade. So at 11.30ish, an hour and a half before the scheduled start time, we joined them.<br /><br />While everyone was waiting for the horses to come, there were numerous street vendors making their way up and down the parade route selling items varying from drinks and snacks to seats and hats (oh, and little nodding horses). It was only a matter of time before we purchased a couple of little seats for ourselves (3000 colones for 2).<br /><br /></span><center><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbfcPKoBI/AAAAAAAAAGA/1XFTyHqq1M4/s1600-h/DSC00790.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284300702247198738" height="200" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbfcPKoBI/AAAAAAAAAGA/1XFTyHqq1M4/s200/DSC00790.JPG" width="128" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbfCxy_6I/AAAAAAAAAF4/04XXi1SSE1Q/s1600-h/DSC00787.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284300695413129122" height="200" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbfCxy_6I/AAAAAAAAAF4/04XXi1SSE1Q/s200/DSC00787.JPG" width="195" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbewyUU_I/AAAAAAAAAFw/Y3W71vA5_D4/s1600-h/DSC00770.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284300690583475186" height="200" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbewyUU_I/AAAAAAAAAFw/Y3W71vA5_D4/s200/DSC00770.JPG" width="150" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbeU1kDAI/AAAAAAAAAFo/eU20C05uWkU/s1600-h/DSC00749.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284300683080895490" height="200" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWbeU1kDAI/AAAAAAAAAFo/eU20C05uWkU/s200/DSC00749.JPG" width="152" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></center><br /><p><span style="color:#000000;">Just before 2pm, the parade reached us (we think we were about half way along the parade route). Yesterday’s La Nacion stated that 4000 riders were expected and we certainly have never seen as many horses at one time before. Just as we thought they were finishing, a new herd would come along. The guide book says “many Ticos come from outside the capital to show off their specially trained horses”. Let’s just say that some are more trained than others and there were times when the horses were in control of their riders rather than the other way round.</span><br /></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">Many of the horses and riders stopped to allow members of the public to pet them (the horses, not the riders!), much to the delight of the children in the crowd. We don't think that the occasional habit of riders picking up small children out of the crowd and riding with them would have got past the Health & Safety Executive in the UK, and we're not sure that the use of mobile phones or drinking while in control of a four legged vehicle would have been allowed either.<br /><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiXrXehDI/AAAAAAAAAGw/CK0oiiXIY3w/s1600-h/IMG_0242.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284308265451029554" height="150" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiXrXehDI/AAAAAAAAAGw/CK0oiiXIY3w/s200/IMG_0242.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiDI0WZjI/AAAAAAAAAGo/8Kg_5nbJpLw/s1600-h/IMG_0208.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284307912579507762" height="150" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiDI0WZjI/AAAAAAAAAGo/8Kg_5nbJpLw/s200/IMG_0208.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiCnkOUzI/AAAAAAAAAGg/v3IyeLgkdLA/s1600-h/DSC01186.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284307903653499698" height="150" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiCnkOUzI/AAAAAAAAAGg/v3IyeLgkdLA/s200/DSC01186.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiCK2KRmI/AAAAAAAAAGY/KONq5L85wZ4/s1600-h/DSC01144.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284307895944103522" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiCK2KRmI/AAAAAAAAAGY/KONq5L85wZ4/s200/DSC01144.JPG" border="0" witdh="200height=150" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiBmxPZtI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/f2Wk_7a-J_8/s1600-h/DSC01090.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284307886259791570" height="200" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiBmxPZtI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/f2Wk_7a-J_8/s200/DSC01090.JPG" width="150" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiA2awURI/AAAAAAAAAGI/H580hA01o3Q/s1600-h/DSC01009.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284307873280577810" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWiA2awURI/AAAAAAAAAGI/H580hA01o3Q/s200/DSC01009.JPG" width="190" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">There were little horses, big horses, young riders, old riders, riders with chickens on their heads and even a gladiator (on a horse, of course)!</span><br /></p><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfyCYcaI/AAAAAAAAAIA/fErW6paACiM/s1600-h/IMG_0237.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284317200773575074" height="150" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfyCYcaI/AAAAAAAAAIA/fErW6paACiM/s200/IMG_0237.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqf3u2nGI/AAAAAAAAAH4/O7CjyJWvPyg/s1600-h/IMG_0206.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284317202302278754" height="200" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqf3u2nGI/AAAAAAAAAH4/O7CjyJWvPyg/s200/IMG_0206.JPG" width="129" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfmnmiXI/AAAAAAAAAHw/M7b0DhFbEMQ/s1600-h/IMG_0185.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284317197708462450" height="150" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfmnmiXI/AAAAAAAAAHw/M7b0DhFbEMQ/s200/IMG_0185.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfhfqnNI/AAAAAAAAAHo/-cXGihEx-Tk/s1600-h/DSC01195.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284317196332997842" height="150" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfhfqnNI/AAAAAAAAAHo/-cXGihEx-Tk/s200/DSC01195.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfZNxduI/AAAAAAAAAHg/f1oYQSmKo7U/s1600-h/DSC01064.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284317194110465762" height="200" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWqfZNxduI/AAAAAAAAAHg/f1oYQSmKo7U/s200/DSC01064.JPG" width="192" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoKXMLG_I/AAAAAAAAAHY/MNaJHAPqdzc/s1600-h/DSC00875.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284314633766378482" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoKXMLG_I/AAAAAAAAAHY/MNaJHAPqdzc/s200/DSC00875.JPG" width="132" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoJuqe8fI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/53g1Addi6HM/s1600-h/DSC00853.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284314622887653874" height="200" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoJuqe8fI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/53g1Addi6HM/s200/DSC00853.JPG" width="150" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoJYZetMI/AAAAAAAAAHI/QAhNjzUcfLQ/s1600-h/DSC00834.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284314616910755010" height="200" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoJYZetMI/AAAAAAAAAHI/QAhNjzUcfLQ/s200/DSC00834.JPG" width="150" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"> </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoI1eulII/AAAAAAAAAHA/xSBL9_biCOM/s1600-h/DSC00833.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284314607537525890" height="148" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoI1eulII/AAAAAAAAAHA/xSBL9_biCOM/s200/DSC00833.JPG" width="200" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoIkXQTTI/AAAAAAAAAG4/VQTnx_5IDRg/s1600-h/DSC00821.JPG"><span style="color:#000000;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284314602942778674" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVWoIkXQTTI/AAAAAAAAAG4/VQTnx_5IDRg/s200/DSC00821.JPG" width="150" border="0" /></span></a><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><span style="color:#000000;"></span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;">By 4pm Colin was feeling the effects of being around so many horses (we suspect he is allergic to horse hair – there was a lot of it about) and even though the horses were still coming, we packed up our stools and went to catch the bus back to Heredia.</span><br /></p>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-73602345119307320322008-12-25T17:12:00.000-06:002008-12-25T17:53:12.616-06:00¡Feliz Navidad!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQX8hJYTxI/AAAAAAAAAE4/G1ECqBW4iDY/s1600-h/DSC00727.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283874591269736210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQX8hJYTxI/AAAAAAAAAE4/G1ECqBW4iDY/s320/DSC00727.JPG" border="0" /></a>Christmas arrived in Costa Rica before we did. Certainly by the time we arrived here on December 2nd, there were already distinct signs that Christmas was already here. We are not sure what gave it away: maybe it was the giant inflatable snowmen, or the illuminated candy canes in peoples gardens, or the fairy lights strung around houses and in the trees, or the pop-pop of fireworks going off every night, or the giant plastic <em>portales</em> (nativity scenes). Whatever it was that gave it away, it was clear that Christmas here lasts at least the entire month of December; probably helped along in good measure by the <em>aguinaldo</em> (an extra month’s salary paid to all workers in December).<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYTFLkDsI/AAAAAAAAAFA/TmdUmO32YMM/s1600-h/DSC00728.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283874978899693250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 136px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYTFLkDsI/AAAAAAAAAFA/TmdUmO32YMM/s200/DSC00728.JPG" border="0" /></a>With the exception of the giant plastic portales, much of the above is often seen in the UK. But for us, celebrating Christmas outside of the UK for the first time, it all seems a little surreal because of one important additional factor: it’s hot and sunny!<br /></div><br /><div><em>Nochebuena</em> (Christmas Eve) is usually the time for a family get together, exchanging of gifts and, for many Catholics, attendance at <em>Misa de Gallo</em> (Christmas Eve mass, traditionally at midnight but now often earlier). We were invited to share a meal with our friends, Peter & Victoria, and their daughter, Caty. We have to admit that in spite of all the decorations, the feeling of Christmas didn’t actually hit us <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYn7dIdkI/AAAAAAAAAFY/4D3gy35pBsk/s1600-h/IMG_0171.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283875337066280514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 118px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYn7dIdkI/AAAAAAAAAFY/4D3gy35pBsk/s200/IMG_0171.JPG" border="0" /></a>until we were welcomed into their home last night.<br /></div><br /><div>To start with Colin was treated to a lovely mulled wine, warm and very Christmassy. The main course was pretty traditional (in UK terms; this and the mulled wine were probably influenced by Peter!) in that it was roast chicken with various vegetables. It was also very tasty and did make a nice change from rice and beans for us. (Zoë would like to point out that we aren’t JUST eating rice & beans … sometimes we have beans & rice, and maybe even a salad too ;) ) </div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYTTuMBBI/AAAAAAAAAFI/zfuLsDSoraM/s1600-h/IMG_0165.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283874982803014674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 198px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYTTuMBBI/AAAAAAAAAFI/zfuLsDSoraM/s200/IMG_0165.JPG" border="0" /></a>After a break to let our main course digest, during which we sang some <em>villancicos</em> (Christmas songs/Carols) in Spanish, and then English, it was time for pudding (<em>postre</em>). Imported apples are a special treat at Christmas time here, and every year Victoria makes a Christmas apple pie. This was served last night much to the delight of Colin, who reckons you can’t get a better postre than apple pie and ice cream.<br /></div><div>Following the meal, as midnight approached, it was time to open presents. Zoë thinks this is fantastically civilised; she has forgotten how many times she has asked to open “just one present” on Christmas Eve, and always been denied.<br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYnu0i3EI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/dvyfCVtYznE/s1600-h/DSC00730.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283875333674818626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 116px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQYnu0i3EI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/dvyfCVtYznE/s200/DSC00730.JPG" border="0" /></a>Children here traditionally receive their gifts from <em>niño Jesús</em> (a.k.a. <em>el Niño</em>), but with traditions all over the world now becoming mixed up it is unsurprising that dear old Santa Claus is now a popular figure here. In order not to lose the <em>niño Jesús</em> tradition, it is often said that Santa Claus is his messenger.<br /></div><br /><div>Although we had a fantastic time and really delicious meal on Christmas Eve, we wanted to try something that in Costa Rica is very much associated with Christmas: <em>tamales</em>. Apparently, Costa Rican <em>tamales </em>are different from Mexican ones. But since we have never had Mexican tamales we can’t comment on this. Basically, a Costa Rican <em>tamal</em> is a mixture of corn dough with vegetables and meat, wrapped in plantain or banana leaves and then boiled. Tamales here usually come as a pair tied together with string (called <em>una piña de tamales</em>)</div><br /><div>This video will give you the general idea: <a href="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2j-hRcmfUdY">http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2j-hRcmfUdY</a><br /></div><br /><div>(We do wonder why the dog in this video is so quiet. Our experience of dogs in Costa Rica suggests they like to bark. A lot. Perhaps this one has eaten too many tamales already?)<br /></div><br /><div>And this page has a great description and recipe if you're feeling adventurous: <a href="http://www.cocori.com/library/crinfo/tamal.htm">http://www.cocori.com/library/crinfo/tamal.htm</a></div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQcRH27F4I/AAAAAAAAAFg/gIK6ORbaWQw/s1600-h/DSC00733.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283879343305201538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 168px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SVQcRH27F4I/AAAAAAAAAFg/gIK6ORbaWQw/s200/DSC00733.JPG" border="0" /></a>We clearly didn’t make our tamales from scratch (too much work and not enough experience!) so instead purchased readymade ones from the supermarket and had them for lunch today (December 25th). </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><strong>Verdict: </strong>quite tasty, but like post-Christmas Turkey we wouldn’t want to have them every day! </div></div></div></div></div></div>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-5222769633200984922008-12-25T12:16:00.000-06:002008-12-25T12:20:15.347-06:00All Change!So, just as we were figuring out where in Heredia to catch what bus to get to where we want to go … they change all the bus stops (<em>paradas de bus</em>) as of this coming Saturday (27th December 2008)! OK, not all of them. But most of them.<br /><br />Fortunately, we read La Nacion online (a good way to practice our Spanish), so this didn’t come as a complete shock. Today they published a <a href="http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2008/diciembre/25/pais1822499.html">useful little map of the changed bus stops</a>. I also managed to locate a <a href="http://www.mopt.go.cr/documentos/Boletines/2008/Diciembre/Cambio_Paradas_Heredia.pdf">full list of the changes </a>(which includes those that haven’t moved, and details of the relocation of <em>paradas de taxi</em> as well) on the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT) website.<br /><br />The main purpose of all these changes is to try to decrease the congestion and reduce pollution in the centre of Heredia. We haven’t been here all that long, but it is obvious that anything is worth a try.Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10989251319820025656noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-46591835717350806842008-12-22T11:29:00.000-06:002008-12-22T11:58:18.851-06:00Mini Festival de Las Flores<div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU_SdLlGwSI/AAAAAAAAAEg/7eupb_exkqU/s1600-h/DSC00486.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282672286695342370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU_SdLlGwSI/AAAAAAAAAEg/7eupb_exkqU/s320/DSC00486.JPG" border="0" /></a>Yesterday evening we went to investigate was happening for the Mini Festival de Las Flores in Heredia. This festival was on from the 18th to the 21st but we didn’t have the opportunity to go until last night. We were amused to see many people (especially children) wearing woolly hats, scarves and gloves, because to us this was a lovely, warm, summer evening with long sleeves being optional!<br /><div><div><div><br /><div>We were treated to a performance by Chester the <em>pasayo</em>, and were pleased that we understood all of what he was saying (of course it was mainly aimed at the children). In the background of the pictures you can see La Basílica de la Inmaculada Concepción built in 1797 which, due to its squat, thick-walled design, has managed to withstand several earthquakes which destroyed other churches of this period. Chestercito waited until evening mass (<em>misa</em>) had finished prior to starting his show immediately as folk streamed out of the doors of the church.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282672289402364002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU_SdVqgoGI/AAAAAAAAAEo/S8uS0ufchRg/s320/DSC00711.JPG" border="0" /></div><div>After the <em>pasayo</em>,<em> </em>one of the organisers sat down and read some childrens stories:</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282672292812085602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU_SdiXc2WI/AAAAAAAAAEw/u0HSvDCPKCg/s320/DSC00714.JPG" border="0" /> <div>Then it was time for a very nice firework display (<em>fuegos artificiales</em> – sorry, no pictures) and a live <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merengue_(music)">merengue </a>band (not that we are experts in latin music, but the main singer of the band did mention merengue and he did seem to have a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCira"><em>güira</em> </a>…).<br /><br />Please note that the video clip below is so that you can hear a short clip of the music, the video itself is very dark and you won’t see a lot!<br /></div><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyaZ7yyVc99j1v27vhRmn4jlRdIMBXl3DBlmKOIn-j2ST4bjfL12qsDj6aKX9b7S3YbCjWMaU3QytSrJ2z-vg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><div>We enjoyed the fact that everyone was in good humour, singing along and really dancing to the band (even though this made it a little difficult to hold the camera steady to get good photos!) Those that didn’t want to dance made sure that those that did had plenty of space, and it was a really nice atmosphere. Zoë enjoyed it even though she usually avoids crowds whenever possible. She was also very happy when the band played a version of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juanes">Juanes </a>song (La Camisa Negra) and she was able to join in with singing along!</div><br /><div>As we left the <em>parque central</em> to go catch our bus back, we were reminded that this is most definitely not the UK as we walked past 3 police officers with guns standing unobtrusively at the edge of the park. And then on the way past the casino, we saw a guard with the biggest gun we have ever seen (apart from in the movies). One day we will take pictures, but coming from a country where guns are a rarity we are understandably a little unsure how folk with guns react when you take pictures of them!</div></div></div></div></div></div>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-52468468668922320062008-12-21T17:36:00.000-06:002008-12-21T17:43:45.464-06:00Phew! What a scorcher!We promised a few folks back home that we wouldn't do too many of these type of blog entries, but today most definitely calls for one.<br /><br /><div><div>We won't say much apart from here are two photos showing the temperature in the shade and sun of our garden this afternoon at about 1pm. Can't say how accurate the thermometer is, but it certainly felt HOT!<br /></div><br /><br /><div>85F = 29C <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282392001318951490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 308px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 278px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU7TibL7GkI/AAAAAAAAAEQ/4ZskiVLGY4w/s320/temp-shade.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br />115F = 46C<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282392001656090850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU7TiccTcOI/AAAAAAAAAEY/qS2RySKGeUE/s320/temp-sun.JPG" border="0" /></div></div>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-53069054259266434832008-12-21T16:03:00.000-06:002008-12-21T16:17:26.373-06:00School DaysFor the last two weeks we have been taking Spanish classes with the <a href="http://www.learn-spanish-costa-rica.com/">International Spanish School of Costa Rica</a>. Unlike many schools, the lessons here are completely conversational with grammar points covered as and when necessary. This posed somewhat of a challenge for both Zoë, who knows quite a lot of Spanish but isn’t particularly talkative, and Colin, who can be particularly talkative but didn’t know that much Spanish!<br /><div><br /></div><div>Although the classes took place in the spacious but homely and welcoming garage of Doña Ligia’s house, and not a dedicated school building, this certainly does not indicate a lack of dedication or professionalism on the part of the tutors (and directors), Rafa & Wes, who undertook a 2 hour commute by bus every morning to come to Heredia to teach us (and then another 2 hours home again). And it also enabled us to chat with Doña Ligia and meet members of her family. </div><div><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282368559415753202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU6-N7Sq-fI/AAAAAAAAAEI/b8OKYxNkpYA/s320/DSC00638.JPG" border="0" /> <div>Listening and talking only in Spanish for 4 hours a day (or more!), Monday to Friday , for two weeks was at times difficult, however it was an enjoyable and largely stress free experience, and we don’t think we would have learned as much in this short space of time in another school with a different methodology. The tutoring was mostly one-to-one with Colin paired with Rafa and Zoë with Wes (pairings which both seemed to work very well and felt comfortable), joining together for a coffee break mid lesson where we had delicious treats to eat (sometimes baked by Wes – yum yum). </div><div><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282368555150029906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU6-NrZpNFI/AAAAAAAAAEA/sNHFtj3eE1I/s320/DSC00607.JPG" border="0" />We must have talked about EVERYTHING … from our childhoods and family history through to topics such as Costa Rican and Scottish culture, political issues and the current economic crisis, along with our own personal interests such as computers and Tai Chi. And, of course, what we would do if we were fish or had been living in England during the bubonic plague outbreak of the 1300’s …. (all hail to the subjunctive!) <div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282368553900687250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_kT90iRnzbOA/SU6-Nmvxv5I/AAAAAAAAAD4/zUV6DLjjdRs/s320/DSC00491.JPG" border="0" /> <div>After spending so long each day with Rafa & Wes it will seem a little odd not to see them every day. Now we just need to practice what we have learned in the real world.</div><div><br /><strong>Zoë's Spanish Phrase of the Day</strong><br /></div><br /><div><em>Si tuviéramos más dinero, estudiaríamos más con Rafa y Wes.<br /></em></div></div>Colin & Zoëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03493176274045895658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158150759767443052.post-6980101701383502402008-12-18T18:25:00.000-06:002008-12-18T18:46:57.866-06:00Col's Creature Watch #3<div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From English To Spanish" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar">en>es </span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span></span></div><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span></span></div><br /><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From English To Spanish" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span title="Translation service: Google" id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: none;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABwAAAAOCAYAAAA8E3wEAAAABmJLR0QA/wD/AP+gvaeTAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH1QUUDyoqJjAqRwAAAN1JREFUOMu1lMkVwyAMBYe0JGpCNUFNVk3k4AUwxPGS+ILxkzX8jyTH/Sfu9nrmJ3cXlnMASyWRPwd2d5XlHCBZn1BthcbRAdxTZQDI8k3mQzg11rhF+QZ9jdNOcQib6GFQYJYgCFucSRf6GsLU6wEY5yubTFqF2yq1vRwr3INXdQUWG+je1pELX4ED1wDyRAR0WfuAA9gloITyvsFMIMgYInYRqF6rO9Sqz9qkO5ilyo0o3YBwJ+6vrdQonxWUQllhXeHcb/wabMPkP2n81ocAIoLZrMqn/4y2RwP8DcQ+d6rT9ATiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" align="middle" /></div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div>Whilst we were out watering the plants in the garden this week, we unexpectedly came across a couple of creatures scurrying to get away from the water.<br /><br />The first was a large grasshopper measuring about 4 inches long. There were actually two of these, but the other one was a bit camera-shy.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SUrsZR78E8I/AAAAAAAAABk/gvTQo1Z3O5c/s1600-h/grasshopper3-small.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 287px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SUrsZR78E8I/AAAAAAAAABk/gvTQo1Z3O5c/s320/grasshopper3-small.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281293432101016514" border="0" /></a><br />The other creature was some sort of beetle. Although he was only about an inch or so in length his antennae (or feelers) were huge! As you can see below.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SUrtYd2ebaI/AAAAAAAAAB0/CMD93ba63lk/s1600-h/beetle1-small.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 185px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XUAFDbhXTys/SUrtYd2ebaI/AAAAAAAAAB0/CMD93ba63lk/s320/beetle1-small.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281294517631085986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="border: 1px solid black; margin: 0px; padding: 2px; left: -100px; top: -100px; visibility: hidden; display: none; width: auto; height: auto; position: absolute; background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); -moz-border-radius-topleft: 5px; -moz-border-radius-topright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright: 5px; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft: 5px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: left; z-index: 1410065406;font-family:arial;font-size:12px;" id="gmbabelFish"><div style="border-bottom: 1px dotted black; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-top: 2px;"><span id="bfcloseButton" title="Close BabelFish" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span id="bfconfigButton" title="Language configuration" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" style="cursor: pointer;"></span><span title="From English To Spanish" id="bflangsSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar">en>es </span><span id="bfserviceSpan" style="cursor: pointer;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar"></span><span style="cursor: copy;" class="gmBabelMousishToolBar" title="Copy result to clipboard" id="bfclipboardSpan"></span><img id="bffishImg" style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px; cursor: pointer;" title="click to translate" src="data:image/gif;base64,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" align="middle" /></div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">TIMEOUT</span></div><div style="border-style: solid outset outset solid; border-color: rgb(0, 67, 179); border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; left: 627px; top: 488px; height: auto; width: auto; z-index: 32716; display: none; visibility: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(168, 236, 255); vertical-align: middle; font-family: arial; font-size: 12px;" id="gmbabelToolTip" align="absmiddle"></div>Colhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16216284872515226084noreply@blogger.com1