Author: Charlie

Retired American nature-lover, living in Costa Rica, photographing birds and other jewels of nature. This site simply reports on my joys of being RETIRED IN COSTA RICA!
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Vanilla Comes from an Orchid?

Vanilla Pod or
Vanilla Bean

Yeah, the second most expensive spice in the world comes from an orchid plant pods that grows on vines (up to 30 feet long) right here in Costa Rica and other tropical countries. Read about this unusual spice in this Huffington Press Report. And I learned this week that the original owner of these apartments didn’t get all his cash flow from rent, but more from his vanilla farms in Guanacaste and other areas of North Costa Rica. It only grows between 10 & 20 degrees north or south of the equator.

Hans, the new manager, gifted me with one of these expensive vanilla pods (often called a vanilla bean) from the Von der Bom Farms when I conferenced with him this week. They are picked green and sun dried for 2 to 6 months the article says. I could take a sharp knife and scrape little bits of the nearly black stuff from the dried pod to season a dessert or whatever. I am more likely to keep it as a conversation piece in my living room fruit bowl. Vanilla Extract is made from this pod mixed with water and alcohol to make the more familiar use of vanilla. So a full pod is quite valuable and could season a lot!

Phons von der Bom, the original owner, loved the vanilla vines (his major income) and the ornamental ironwork bridge over our swimming pool features vanilla vines as does the tile work on bottom of his pool and on some doors and other objects around here. This property was his home for many years before he added the apartments (after the price of vanilla beans dropped).   🙂  What an interesting place! I learn something new every day!

Close-up of Vanilla Pod or
Vanilla Bean
Vanilla Bean Vines decorate pool bottom and bridge
on what was originally Phons’ home and personal pool before the apartments.
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica

And oh yes, the most expensive spice just ahead of vanilla is saffron. In case you were wondering!

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Good Friday Mass

A cross draped in red and candles are
about to be brought into the Good Friday Mass
Atenas, Costa Rica

I love symbolism, ceremony, and beauty in worship and keep saying I will go to Mass and wish I had been dressed differently today for I would have enjoyed this probably more than the praise band I will hear Sunday morning at the Bible Church. But hey, I may surprise everyone and go to Mass instead. 

During Lent the cross in front of the Catholic Church has been draped in a purple cloth which was removed this week. 
Lent Purple at Catholic Church
Atenas, Costa Rica
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Quiet Evening

I walked down to the river to see if I could find a bird to photograph and couldn’t, so a little shot of the stream running along the southern border of our property.

Rio Cajon just above the waterfall, 5:00 PM
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica

I did capture this Red-billed Pigeon in flight yesterday, though not good focus
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica
And tonight’s sunset clouds make a giant in the sky!
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica

We are now harvesting the first mangos from our property trees – hope they will be good!

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5 Things You Should Know Before Moving to Costa Rica

Here’s a new article I just read on a website that has heretofore not been very helpful, but this article is true even if incomplete:  5 Things You Should Know Before Moving to CR
 http://www.expatfocus.com/c/aid=1849/articles/costa-rica/5-things-you-should-know-before-moving-to-costa-rica/%5dhere%5b/url/  It seems to address someone who wants to work here rather than retire here. HERE’S MY SUMMARY:

  1. The laid-back culture is really different from the USA and requires an adjustment!
  2. The cost of living is not cheaper here unless you choose to live simpler than in states. 
  3. Import Taxes are very high, making cars very expensive. Otherwise buy local!
  4. Commuting to and from the city of San Jose is expensive and stressful unless you do it by bus. Reconsider if you plan to drive in and out for work!
  5. Working here can be legally complicated unless you work online. See a local lawyer first.

And my more practical suggestions for a retiree that I’ve listed before:

Feel free to email me or come visit if you are considering such a move. I will be brutally honest!  But warning! I like it here! 
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My “DIAPAUSE”

Diapause: a period of physiologically enforced dormancy between periods of activity.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary

My new word today is usually referring to animal dormancy, particularly butterflies in the pupae stage. I’m not in a pupae, unless you call my apartment that, but after preparation for two differents sets of visitors and a particularly full week with Kevin, I’ve kind of pulled into my apartment and mostly resting, reading, and taking care of just necessary business – not running all over Costa Rica looking for birds to photograph! This pre-sunset photo kind of symbolizes my diapause. It frequently looks like rain without ever doing it. It makes me look forward to May when the rain actually starts. It is very dry and grass fires are common. 

Rain Clouds that Don’t Rain!
Atenas, Costa Rica

It is fun to just sit on my balcony, watch the town below me, the sky, the birds and listen to the howler monkeys who are hollering as I type. Click to hear them yourself: Mantled Howler Monkey  Oh, go ahead! Click it and listen for 20 seconds! I hear every morning & evening.


Male Howler Monkey
Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica
My photo made by me here at the apartments in a tree along the river

And by the way, it is pretty easy to rest this week as most every business has closed already or will after today for Holy Week. No Spanish Class either! Semana Santa.



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Tarcoles Catch-up Photos

On March 24, our first night at Manuel Antonio, we had a slow internet connection and I only shared one beach sunset photo. Here’s a few of many from our stop on the Tarcoles River enroute to beach.

Yellow-headed Caracara
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Striped Basilisk
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Common Black Hawk
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Tiger Heron
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
Black-necked Stilt
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
American Crocodile (Great Egret in background)
Tarcoles River, Costa Rica
This was my third time on the Tarcoles River and we always see and photograph more than 20 species of birds along with the promoted crocs and usually basilisks and iguanas plus some other lizards. That night I got lots of different kinds of beach sunset photos. Here’s one more I just have to show: 
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean
Manuel Antonio Beach, Costa Rica

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Kevin Finds it Difficult to Leave Costa Rica

Kevin Hunter with Sloth at San Jose Airport

Kevin reluctantly poses by The Tico Times sloth statue in the San Jose Santamaria Airport. This was right before I said goodbye and he entered the security line and I had to leave. We were already told that his 2:25 flight was delayed to maybe 3:30 or later. Well the last I heard it was not leaving until after 6 PM for Miami, missing his Nashville connection of course, and American Airlines has him spending the night in Miami and getting home around noon Tuesday. “Tico Time” often refers to things here not starting on time and it seems that American Airlines has fully integrated into the Tico Culture! Sorry Kevin! It was probably some computer’s fault!  🙂

And by the way, The Tico Times and one other internet CR newspaper (The Costa Rica News) is about all the news I read here. The U.S. news is too depressing (and embarrassing) and I have even quit looking at PBS Newshour downstreaming, upstreaming, whatever! PBS and BBC are still the only decent news sources on TV, but it is now the negative and stressful news itself I refuse to get involved with. Pura vida! And . . . After 17 days with a rent car, I am even more convinced that I don’t want to get a car! Too stressful again! My next visitor may have to see Costa Rica with me on foot, by bus and taxi.  🙂  Costa Rica is trying to “Save the Americans,” but is it too late?
And by the way, our Howler Monkeys are really active this evening – wish I knew how to record them and share their noise with you! They hollered most mornings and evenings while Kevin was here and recently started doing it during the night. Cool!

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Alajuela & La Garita

Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Kevin’s kind of museum! And a country without an army finds
all forts to be historical! This is across from the central plaza.
Alajuela Plaza Cathedral

Church of the Agony, Alajuela

We stop in La Garita at a plant nursery called a Vivero in Costa Rica
Kevin enjoyed shooting flowers there

We also tried to find a sugar cane mill we had passed earlier in the week, but failed to get on the right country road. So missed that photo op!

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ZooAve

Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica

 

 

 

 

 

Collared Aracari Toucan
RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica
Emerald Toucanet
RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica
Central American Spider Monkey
RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica
Great Curassow
RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica
Torch Ginger or Etlingera elatior
RESCATE ANIMAL zooave, La Garita, Costa Rica

Well, there is so much more I could share. It was my second time at this little zoo, gardens, and animal rescue association. I really like it and think it a better (and less expensive) place to visit than La Paz for birds and gardens. Now, La Paz has hummingbirds not here and of course the beautiful 5 waterfalls, but it costs twice as much! And Zoo Ave is just 20 minutes from my house.

 
This was the next to last day for Kevin and I think he likes ZooAve almost as much as I do. Tomorrow will be some simple little local visits and Monday he flies home.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: In 2020 this facility has been “rebranded” to eliminate the zoo concept and is now called Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center.

¡Pura Vida!

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Wildlife Morning

White-faced Capuchin Monkey behind our hotel on the beach before breakfast.

Kevin with two monkeys behind him, not posing!

We said “Goodbye” to Manuel Antonio Beach and went to breakfast.
And while eating breakfast we see . . .
Striped Flycatcher from breakfast table

Cherrie’s Tanager seen from breakfast table

Striped Basilisk seen from breakfast table. 

Then we drove back to Atenas with stops in Quepos, Jaco, and Tarcoles to help Kevin find those last minute souvenirs and gifts for Robbie. Though the one by Crocodile Bridge is good, I found a new favorite gift shop with locations near both Jaco and Tarcoles. I will take future visitors to one of these locations:

With two locations, one near Tarcoles and one near Jaco, and
the best overall selection I’ve seen in one place plus a woodwork collection
that rivals or beats the shops in Sarchi.

Kevin’s visit is helping me to get prepared for future visitors and where to go for specific things that interest you or whoever else comes for a visit. I will of course continue to refine my “tour.”   🙂