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November 16, 2017

National Park in San Jose

Yes, it is a city park called “National Park” partly because of the Battle of Rivas statue, I guess.

Statue honoring women who fought in Battle of Rivas, Nicaragua
which kept American William Walker from making us a slave state.
National Park
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

Tour guide Michael Miller explaining the statue.
National Park
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

National Park
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

Great-tailed Grackle male
National Park
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

Zoom on statue on a cloudy day.
National Park
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

Trip Gallery: 2017 Nov 14 – San Jose Tour

Or my San Jose Gallery with photos from several trips to the capital.

And a separate gallery for Costa Rica Churches, most in San Jose

November 16, 2017

Research Center at Villa Blanca

Research Center For possibly humorous reasons, named “El Cohombro,” the cucumber.
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Center
San Ramon, Costa Rica

Research Center
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Center
San Ramon, Costa Rica

Guide & Researcher at Research Center
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Center
San Ramon, Costa Rica

One of Many Trails in the Reserve
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Center
San Ramon, Costa Rica

Research Center Helps Maintain Educational Trails
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Center
San Ramon, Costa Rica

National Geographic has done research here and they show some of their films made here. And of course many universities use the research facilities for research in the cloud forest here. Interesting!

My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca

My reviews of other Costa Rica Lodges & Hotels if exploring this fun country. Note that at Drake Bay I stayed at the sister hotel of Villa Blanca, Aguila de Osa – both are Greentique Hotels.

November 15, 2017

San Jose’s Anne Frank and Historic Buildings

It would take a huge gallery to show all the statues and old historic building – here’s a sample:

Anne Frank
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

And if you think it is unusual to find a statue of Anne Frank in Costa Rica next to a Catholic Cathedral, in another park of downtown, maybe 8-10 blocks away, in front of a Catholic Church and near the entrance to Chinatown, is a life-size statue of John Lennon sitting on a park bench beside whom you can sit and have your photo made. 🙂

Historic Building
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

“The Yellow House”
A government building where foreign representatives are met.
President Obama met with CR president here.
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

The Mexican Embassy (through a moving bus window)
So much more inviting than the razor-wired concrete bunker for USA.
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

A bunch of old expats listening to a San Jose Guide.
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

Our Tour Bus for the Day
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

Graffiti Wall like many
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

The old historic building our guide lived in
Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica

Trip Gallery: 2017 Nov 14 – San Jose Tour

Or my San Jose Gallery with photos from several trips to the capital.

And a separate gallery for Costa Rica Churches, most in San Jose

November 15, 2017

Chapel at Villa Blanca


Mariana Chapel Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve San Ramon, Costa Rica

Chapel
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
San Ramon, Costa Rica

Flowers in front of Chapel
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
San Ramon, Costa Rica

Oxcart in front of Chapel
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Resort & Nature Reserve
San Ramon, Costa Rica

Villa Blanca’s Mariana Wedding Chapel was the 50th anniversary-wedding gift from former President Rodrigo Carazo Odio to First Lady Estrella Carazo Zeledon. Its unique hand painted ceramic ceiling depicts the history of the Virgin Mary when first introduced into Latin America by Christian missionaries. It is located on a grassy knoll overlooking the farm village and hacienda of Villa Blanca. The Chapel’s backdrop is the 840 Ha (2000 acre) Los Angeles Cloud Forest, with over 300 listed bird species included within a variety of flora and fauna in this protected habitat and serene mountain setting. The chapel, a replica of a 17th century chapel in Rome, features a high beam ceiling composed of 840 individual ceramic plates, all of them hand drawn and painted with high temperature enamel paints. Each side of the ceiling has 15 panels of 28 plates divided in two vertical rows of 14 plates. Each one of the columns formed by the 14 plates conveys a theme allusive to a Latin-American virgin and her country of origin.

My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca

November 14, 2017

Metropolitan Cathedral in San Jose

Our first stop on an Atenas Expats tour of San Jose today was

The Metropolitan Cathedral of San Jose

My favorite art work there is this statue of the Pope’s visit
to San Jose in 1983 by a Costa Rican sculpture.

We visited two more places which I will share over the next two days along with finishing up my report on Villa Blanca. Though I have done my own tour of San Jose earlier, this was different and led by the author of the book on San Jose for visitors, so always something new.

Trip Gallery: 2017 Nov 14 – San Jose Tour

Or my San Jose Gallery with photos from several trips to the capital.

And a separate gallery for Costa Rica Churches, most in San Jose

November 14, 2017

Hotel Grounds & Vistas – Villa Blanca

One of many vistas from Villa Blanca

The main building seen from the chapel.

sign at entrance gate

Traffic on the road coming up to Villa Blanca.

One view from outside dining area. White spot is chapel on the campus.

You can come here each morning and milk a cow if you wish!

One of many hiking trails.

Trail exit to a hummingbird garden

One row of cabins. There are a total of 36.

Greenhouse

There are nearly always clouds in the cloud forest!

My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca

November 13, 2017March 22, 2020

Hotel Lobby, Restaurant & Activities – Villa Blanca

On top of the hill, the center of everything that happens at Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel:

My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca

November 13, 2017

Earthquake Here Last Night

Image result for Nov 11, 2017 Earthquake Costa Rica maps, photos

The epicenter of a 6.5 Earthquake was about 40-50 miles southwest of where I live in Atenas.
The house shook violently for about 30 seconds around 8:30 pm and then an aftershock a minute or so later.
Only damage for me was pictures hanging on wall are crooked now. 🙂
In Jaco grocery store shelves were emptied.

READ ABOUT IT IN:

EarthquakeTrack.com

Costa Rica Star English Online News

Earthquake Facebook Page

November 11, 2017March 22, 2020

My Cabin at Villa Blanca

All rooms here are cabins – 36 of them!
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

Morning Fog is Common in the Cloud Forest!

Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

Fireplace felt good some nights!
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

Comfortable Bed
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

View out my front door
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

View out my back door
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

Stained Glass Window in my Cabin
Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel
20 km North of San Ramon, Costa Rica

My trip gallery: 2017 Villa Blanca

My reviews of other Costa Rica Lodges & Hotels if exploring this fun country. Note that at Drake Bay I stayed at the sister hotel of Villa Blanca, Aguila de Osa – both are Greentique Hotels.

And oh yeah, I’m home now, writing this Friday night to post Saturday and it will be emailed out Sunday morning around 2 am. I still have several more posts I want to make before I’m finished telling about Villa Blanca, the facilities, the grounds & vistas, a chapel, and a research center.

100,000 Views is what the counter says this blog passed yesterday with 83 views that day. Thank you for keeping up with “Retired in Costa Rica” and all my adventures and photos! I love it here!

¡Pura vida!