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¡Felices Pascuas! – Happy Easter!

¡Felices Pascuas!  –  Happy Easter! 
Scarlet Macaw flying above Tambor Bay, Costa Rica this past Christmas.

Note to those not on the mission team coming here this week: I am sharing one of my Costa Rica photos with an inspirational Scripture verse each day in an email during the last week before they get here this Thursday. 9 old friends from Nashville First Baptist Church. This is the photo/verse I share with them today. Happy Easter to you also! He is risen!

Charlie Doggett
Retired in Costa Rica
¡Pura Vida!
And for more photos of life here, see my gallery Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA.
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Physical Education Last Week

A class lines up for Physical Education activities last week.
This week there is no school, many businesses closed, and many on vacation trips.
Atenas, Costa Rica

All of the usual activities I pass by daily during most weeks aren’t happening this week, Holy Week, in a quiet little town with many on vacation. Tomorrow is Easter AND Election Day! 

Article on tomorrow’s Presidential Election  (Things are changing in Costa Rica.)

My photos of past Easter Processions (but none tomorrow because of election):


¡PURA VIDA!
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Good Friday Silence

As I walked to town, the streets were empty!
 Atenas, Costa Rica 

Even around Central Park
 Atenas, Costa Rica 

Every store is closed except Supermarkets & the Gasolinera that will close early.
 Atenas, Costa Rica 

Many homes had added new, bigger decorations.
 Atenas, Costa Rica 

Even the Catholic Church added a similar new decoration.
 Atenas, Costa Rica 

And people will be coming and going from the catholic church all day (all week!). The only activity.
 Atenas, Costa Rica 

And you might ask, “What about the non-religious?” Well, they are the ones filling the public beaches this week and fishing on the lakes and other “vacation” activities. One family I know is spending the whole week at the nearest beach. Semana Santa or “Holy Week” or “Easter Week” is not the best beach time for tourists, though most locals try to use different beaches and try to avoid tourists, but not totally possible, especially at Jaco, the closest big beach town to San Jose.

The smaller number of evangelicals and protestants in Costa Rica have a less dramatic emphasis on Easter and some expats, like the “new community” here at Iglesia Biblical have special activities they did back home. Ours did a Maundy Thursday Lord’s Supper or Communion Service Thursday night and some will meet at a member’s house at Sunrise Easter Morning for a Sunrise Service – which will be a good excuse for not attending the Spanish Language Easter Service at the church later. 
Hotel restaurants have to be open on Easter, but not many others will and even the supermarkets will have very limited hours on Easter. But this year will not have the usual Easter pageantry in the streets by law, since the first Sunday of April is Election Day and no public activities are allowed to compete with voting (only worship inside a church building). Meaning that many people will leave their church of whatever variety and go straight to the voting places where the unqualified, anti-Gay presidential candidate (an evangelical gospel singer) is expected to narrowly win the election in this conservative Catholic country.

Read the article  Holy Week the Costa Rican way

Felices Pascuas

Poner toda la carne en el asador.

¡Pura Vida!

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Pre-Easter Yellow

And for one week only – this particular tree.
Seen from my terrace as is the photo below.
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Behind my “Cow Pasture Neighbors” Houses
Atenas, Costa Rica

 

Even the silhouetted Chachalaca seems to be admiring the yellow flowers.
In my Guarumo/Cecropia Tree
Atenas, Costa Rica
¡Pura Vida!
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My House is Untouched By Fire

The fire was much closer than I like, the next hill over. It could have climbed our hill, but firemen stopped it.
And that house in photo I think is okay, though probably got a lot of smoke even if windows closed.
Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

After the scary post yesterday afternoon I wanted everyone who reads blog to know that the wonderful firemen (bomberos) put the fire out with rakes, hoes, machetes and shovels (had no water).

I came back after dark and all was okay last night. Most of the smoke was blown away by the high winds but still no internet, thus delay in report until this morning (Tuesday). Then internet was out again before I could add the above photo until afternoon. Both the electric company and the cable company have had several trucks out here all day. Right now all is good

This is the bad part of the “Dry Season” that the tourists like so much – fires! Rainy Season starts in May and some of us call it the “Green Season” which to me is prettier and more enjoyable!  And I don’t have to water the gardens!  🙂

Now 4 cropped, improved cell phone photos from yesterday that show fire better than shots posted yesterday:

My First Sighting from My Terrace – Scarry! 
Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

Firemen Were on it Pretty Fast, But Had No Water 
They used rakes, hoes, machetes and shovels to fight fire.
Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

At One Point Here It Seemed to be Coming Up Our Hill! Strong Winds! 
Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
And the Bigger View From a Distance
 Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!
Living with life as it comes!
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Grass Fire Approaching – Left House

Shot on cell phone from my terrace.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Shot from behind my landlord’s house on cell phone. Fired headed our way – lots of smoke!
Roca Verde, Atenas, Costa Rica
This fire is behind my làndlord’s house behind mine. Bomberos or firemen are on scene but there is no water. I decided it not good to breath smoke plus nothing I can do and no power, internet or water. So I am camped out at a fav restaurant.

Will go back after dark and hope I still have a house!

First ever post by my phone.

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Danta Corcovado Book is Ready!

Click image or this caption for a 
FREE ONLINE REVIEW OF THE BOOK & ALL PHOTOS!
I probably say this about all of my trips here, but this was one of the best and some very good photos like this cover photo of the Red-eyed Tree Frog made with my cell phone! When you click and get to bookstore, just click the cover image to start free preview of all pages and click each page to go to next page in this amazing digital world!
Happy Easter Week!
¡Feliz Semana Santa!

Read what one gringo says about this holiday week here. 
It is SPRING BREAK in big way with schools out and many off from work. 
Beaches are very busy this week. 
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Atenas Homes Prepare for Easter During Lent

Just three examples of the many homes celebrating Lent in Atenas. 
These I walk by almost every day – reminders of the atonement.

From the internet at: 
“In the Catholic and Episcopal churches, purple is the symbol of royalty,” said the Rev. Garry White, pastor of Orangeburg Lutheran Church. “It’s also a symbol of bruising and suffering. That is the color that is used during the season of Lent. In the week immediately prior to Easter on Good Friday, a lot of churches will take the purple cloth down and put up a black cloth as a more stark reminder of Jesus’ death.”
The placement of a white cloth on the cross on Easter Sunday represents the purity and wholeness demonstrated through Christ’s resurrection, White said.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live

John 11:25
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Four Links to help you Explore Costa Rica

Los Patos Waterfall, Corcovado National Park

First, as shared on Facebook, here is the link to my most recent TRIP Gallery

2018 March – Danta Corcovado
It was one of my best trips yet and I do recommend the lodge.

NOTE: This gallery is in the TRIPS folder of galleries where you can check out every trip I have ever made in Costa Rica with photos of the lodges, birds and other sights in each place (56). Trips are listed chronologically with most recent at the top. OR for a focus on just the lodges or hotels, I have an evaluation/review of every one I have visited here at:   Costa Rica Lodges & Hotels (35) listed alphabetically by name.

Tico Times Suggests
 Explore the best of Costa Rica with this two-week itinerary

Arenal Volcano

It might not be exactly how I would plan a two-week tour of Costa Rica, but it is a very good plan and includes a variety of sights and locations. And it includes both Tortuguero and Drake Bay, two of my very favorite places in Costa Rica! It would be a good choice, so consider it! 
AND SHORTER OPTIONS
If you only have 9 days to tour Costa Rica, I recommend Caravan.com tour of Costa Rica. It has some of the same places as 14-day tour without Tortuguero or Drake Bay, so of course the two week tour is better!  🙂  But Caravan gives you more for your money than any tour company here, period! The all-inclusive price is a real bargain!

And if you are considering moving here or retiring here like me, I consider it essential to take Christopher Howard’s Live in Costa Rica Tour.   It is one week (8-10 days) with a 3-day tour of the Pacific Coast, a 2-day ARCR Seminar in San Jose to answer every possible question, and then a 3 day tour of the Central Valley (where I live). And he had an optional tack-on tour of Guanacaste when I took it. Check his schedules on his website, there seem to be different lengths of tours.

And however you see Costa Rica, I hope you find our
¡Pura Vida!

Charlie Doggett, Retired in Costa Rica!

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Last Morning at Jungle Lodge

Heliconius Ismenius Clarescens 
 A regionally endemic butterfly found only in SW Costa Rica
Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

Golden-hooded Tanager
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

Chestnut-sided Warbler
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

Red-lored Parrot  Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

Pale-vented Pigeon
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

Simple Trails Like This Led Me To . . . 

The Birding Canopy Tower
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

Going early before breakfast gave me nice views as well as birds! 
 I went alone this morning compared to a group with guide on Wednesday.
 The birding tower is an excellent perk for birders who stay at
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

Lodge Office with Lobby to Left and Dining Room in the Background. 
See my photo gallery for more images of the lodge spaces and grounds.
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

The Last Trail Junction Before My Cabin 
I was in Gavilán (Hawk) Cabin
 Danta Corcovado Lodge, La Palma, Costa Rica

This lodge reminded me of the delightful days I spent at Boy Scout Camps as a boy, Camp Logoly near El Dorado, Arkansas and a whole summer while in college as staff on Camp Quapaw near Benton, Arkansas. There is nothing better than simple facilities totally emerged in nature! I have so many “favorite” places here in Costa Rica and this one is certainly near the top of the list! I will return in the future. And of course I hardily recommend it to anyone who loves nature and to my birding friends! After all, I found and photographed 4 “lifers” here or birds seen for the first time.! They were the Blue-crowned Manakin, Red-capped Manakin, White-shouldered Tanager, and the Scarlet-rumped Cacique.

I had intended to stay 5 nights but the airlines messed me up on that with only 4. Next time I will try again to stay longer and soak up the ambiance of this wonderful retreat! Another joy in being retired in Costa Rica! See more photos and all the birds & other animals in my TRIP Gallery:  2018 March 13-17 – Danta Corcovado. 
¡Pura Vida!