Category: Costa Rica

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“Nature As Art” Business Card

I still have my “Enjoying Retirement” business cards but these are for a select few wanting photos:
NOTICE: I introduced a NEW BUSINESS CARD in September 2018 with one of my bird photos.
Okay, I’m not resurrecting my old photography business in the full sense, but a few persons have asked about getting my photos, so using what is already online, my photos are available for order through three websites I already use. Those sites produce the items and make the money with a small % to me.
  1. For Wall Art the Smugmug Shop has good options (click “BUY” at bottom of enlarged photo) and my new favorite is the wall art photo printed on metal in the glossy format.I’ve ordered several for my house walls here in Costa Rica – birds of course!  🙂  There are several other items available with any of my photos printed on them under the headings of “Keepsakes” and “Phone Cases” and the best part is there are more photos to choose from on my Smugmug gallery!
  2. The Cafe Press shop THIS SHOP CLOSED was set up years ago with Tennessee + USA photos you can still order if you like and one old Costa Rica Birds Calendar. I am slowly adding new Costa Rica photos here and items not available on my newer Smugmug Shop like T-shirts and calendars.   See the direct link to Costa Rica Birds T-Shirts below. I plan to add some new bird calendars soon, then other items. Slowly! I’m retired!  🙂
  3. My Bookstore is another animal!  I mainly make the photo books for my own personal enjoyment and a way to show some of my photos to other people here locally. One of each is available to see in my Living Room. And all are available for purchase and include more than just reports on trips. I have even put a lifetime of scrapbooks together photographically in a 4-volume biography set of books for family history buffs. And yeah, there may be a fifth volume eventually about my retirement in Costa Rica.  🙂
The business cards were recently ordered and will be used locally when someone here asks about buying my photos. But you guys in the states have the same access to internet orders with less expensive shipping and no import tax, so maybe they are a better deal for you!  🙂   Enjoy!
Nature As Art
Costa Rica Style
 
 
Though I have this wall too full (cluttered), here are examples of both metal and canvas wall art photos.
Atenas, Costa Rica
 

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THIS SHOP CLOSED

Costa Rica Birds on T-Shirts(CLICK title to see all 30+ choices)
Squirrel Cuckoo Men’s  Classic T-Shirt
If you like birds and like having them on T-Shirts, here’s 30+ choices of birds you can wear on a very high quality T-Shirt from my CafePress.com store. (More to be added) In another section of that store you can find more birds on T-Shirts that I photographed earlier in various places in the United States including the Florida Everglades & Nashville Zoo. And also other products like calendars, coffee mugs or canvas tote bags. Fun!
MEN & WOMEN’S T-SHIRTS INCLUDED ON ALL 30+ BIRD CHOICES!
Sunbittern Women’s Classic T-Shirt

Wear Nature!

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Interesting news article and video:  Amazing Encounter of Tourists with Baby Humpback Whale
¡Pura Vida!
Retired in Costa Rica
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Pattern of the Crowded

Pattern of the Crowded
Flying out of San Jose Airport in December I snapped this shot of a very crowded neighborhood.
Should I have titled it “Pattern of Poverty?” The roofs don’t say except that they are very close together.
San Jose, Costa Rica 
Photos like this remind me that the world is packed with people and not all live beautiful or happy lives, even in Pura Vida Costa Rica. Though I think poor people do better here than in maybe most other places. The First Baptist Nashville group coming here on mission trip to Hogar de Vida will be serving beautiful children who were removed from their parents because of severe abuse or other problems, maybe from a neighborhood like this one. 
See my photo gallery on San Jose  which includes the prettier sites. 
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New Graffiti/Mural at Sports Park

They are replacing all the old graffiti murals that were on this sidewalk wall.
This is first one completed. The whole wall was painted black first, then tags (below),
now this over one of the tags, a turquoise scribble.
Atenas, Costa Rica

For a year or more this is what was in the above spot:

Last year in the same location.

Then early in January these “tags” were painted with the bright turquoise at far right being where the current cartoon mice reside. I hope the other tags are overpainted too. I like the mice!

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Unfortunately we have Polluted Rivers in the “Green” country of Costa Rica too. Click the link for an online English newspaper article prodding the government to do more. Sad for me that this is about the Tarcoles River, the closest birding river for me and of course dangerous for the birds. The Tarcoles has tributaries coming from the big city of San Jose which is one of the problems. Be sure to see the video in the article showing all the plastic bottle caps and other junk found in the stomach of a fish. Shocking!

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Bus Schedules

The two most important, most used for me are to Alajuela & to San Jose, at Atenas Bus Station:

CLICK TO ENLARGE

These printed schedules can be changed easier than the old painted ones.
I go to Alajuela for Aeropost, Pricesmart, Walmart, movies, restaurants, mall
But can’t stay too late, last bus back is at 10:30 pm!  🙂  Past my bedtime!
45 minute ride station to station either way

I go to San Jose less often for lawyer, US Embassy, government offices
and sometimes museums, concerts, other cultural events.
It is also the hub for buses to anywhere in Costa Rica.
Next month I will go through San Jose to get to Orosi, Costa Rica.
1 hour ride station to station either way except rush hour is longer

I keep copies of these inside my closet door in case I’m going at an irregular time. The schedules are also posted on the website www.coopetransatenas.com  Click “Horario” and then the dropbox down arrow to click the town you want to go to. “Buscar” after choosing the town will give you a full week schedule like the above. In Costa Rica thousands of people use buses every day to go to work or take care of business, medical appointments, shopping, etc.

TRANSLATIONS: 
SALE = to leave or go out of
L aV = Lunes a viernes or Monday to Friday
SAB Y FER = Sábado y ferias or Saturday and holidays
DOM = Domingo or Sunday

FOR BUS SCHEDULES BEYOND ATENAS you English speakers are lucky that there is one in English available at http://thebusschedule.com/EN/cr/index.php  in which you fill in the form for where you want to travel, the date and time of day and they will give you a bus itinerary for your trip and often several options. It is what I use to plan my trips. It couldn’t be easier, but some Americans are still afraid to try the buses which go to almost every town in the country. This is the way local people travel! And yes, it is slower than going in your car but at an enormous savings and I would say generally safer plus more social with more cultural experiences and certainly more relaxing than driving. Where I do spend the money (still cheaper than a car) is to avoid some long bus rides I will take one of the local airlines to more distant places. Lazy old man! 
One of the Coopetransatenas Buses leaving the Alajuela Station
In San Jose there are lots of other bus companies to other towns
and most have similar equipment, from Germany, China or Korea usually
¡Pura Vida!
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Captured at Home This Week

Desert Rose
Is becoming a favorite while it blooms!
Home Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Home Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Heliconia – Fewer of these blooming now.
Home Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Red Ginger
My most faithful year around bloomer!
Home Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

My photo gallery FLORA & FOREST

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Interesting Public Art in Alajuela

On 6-lane boulevard between Walmart & City Mall (mall behind trees & billboards) is this contemporary art.
A metal man pushing a red metal wheel?   Concentric Circles with philosophical meaning? 
Or just something to break up the monotony of occasional bumper to bumper traffic along here?
Alajuela, Costa Rica

I photographed this Monday after Spanish Class and my bus ride to Alajuela, picking up a package at Aeropost, taking taxi to Walmart, then walking the half mile to the City Mall for lunch and a couple of items in shopping. I usually ignore this particular public art, but somehow it struck me today. On this same boulevard past the Mall is a red letter “a” (the little A) and the word “Alajuela” under it, which reminds me of the large red letters in Juan Santamaria Park spelling out “Alajuela” and that someone is trying to coordinate at least some of their public art. Interesting!    ~Charlie

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Aerial Video of Atenas
And back in Atenas, someone flew over Atenas in plane or helicopter at different times of day with video of the roof tops of central Atenas. Nothing is labeled or explained so not a very useful video, but if you want to see Atenas from the air:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzqT-gEbuBc
I guess anyone can put something on youtube.

And in the right column on this blog page is a link to the most current Atenas PR Video I highly recommend!  
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My Calendars in Spanish

My Favorite One was free from the local Cooperative Supermarket
Featuring Atenas Coffee Farmers who make up the Cooperative.
Atenas, Costa Rica

My “Store Bought” Calendar from the mall yesterday is
“Caminos y senderos” Backroads and trails
of Costa Rica of course! I have been on the above road.
It is along the Caribe beach, Banana Azul, Puerto Viejo.
A Costa Rica Produced Nature Calendar
Hard choice of trails, trees or animals! I chose trails!

I am a very slow learner of spoken Spanish and need to surround myself with as much as possible and little things like calendars are a little help and help define where I am. Likewise I try to do most of my grocery list in español, count in Spanish, all greetings and as much conversation daily as I possible. That means avoiding gringos, especially Americans who only speak English.

Did you know that Spanish is the second most spoken language after Mandarin Chinese? Yes more people speak Spanish than English around the world and it is the second language of the United States.

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An Older Slide Show of Atenas Scenes/Places
Someone walked/drove around Atenas with a video camera showing lots of people and places a few years ago. Two of the restaurants have changed and one completely closed, so definitely not current, but it is little of the local flavor of Atenas if that is what you are looking for :  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcTX45N4S3o

And in the right column on this blog page is a link to the most current Atenas PR Video I highly recommend!  

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Pre-Columbian Art Retrieved

See the amazing artifacts retrieved from illegal collector in Venezuela
in this Tico Times article (one of their photos)
San Jose, Costa Rica

I imagine all the items will be on display here in time
The National Museum of Costa Rica  (my photo)
San Jose, Costa Rica

More and more around the world it seems that archaeological treasures are being returned to their nations of origin which is a big correction of colonial and money/power robberies of past history and arrogant countries. These artifacts of Costa Rican history belong here for the Tico children to learn from and not in a rich man’s private collection in Venezuela or any other country. Thanks to the UN and international laws for helping this important correction to be made. Occasionally there is justice!

See more interesting photos in my gallery Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA

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Two More Trips Added for This Year

A follow-up to my earlier post:  Next 4 Months of Trips Planned – Retired in Costa Rica!
First to the Costa Rica South Caribe again:

“The Howler Suite” at Banana Azul Hotel
I wanted this room last September but not available – very popular!
So I now have it reserved for 5 nights this coming September!
Planning ahead sometimes pays off!  🙂
Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Also on the Caribbean side, across the border in Panama is the popular tourist area of Bocas del Toro. I now have a full week or 7 nights in June at Tranquilo Bay Eco Adventure Lodge:


In addition to BIRDING there are beautiful BEACHES & ISLANDS to visit by boat + SNORKELING
Tranquilo Bay, Bocas del Toro, Panama

KAYAKS available at all times for bay & rivers + miles of HIKING TRAILS for more birds!
It’s the kind of place with plenty for me to do just on the hotel grounds. Great anticipation!
Tranquilo Bay, Bocas del Toro, Panama

See this cool video about Tranquilo Bay

And keep reading this blog RETIRED IN COSTA RICA as the adventures just keep getting bigger and better. I will truly never be bored here and never run out of something to do or photograph! I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t retire here! I’m sure having fun! And seldom repeat a place!

And I will keep adding photos to my gallery:  Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA

Kind of funny: The other day some new students of Spanish at Su Espacio were in class and saw one of my photo books there. One student said “I know him. I read his blog about Costa Rica!” So David enjoyed telling me that I am now famous!  🙂  This blog has only 80 subscribers plus drop-in visitors vary from 50 to 300 a day, so really not that big, but I’m glad that some considering retirement here are reading it plus others and hope it is helpful in your “Costa Rica decision process.”

¡Pura Vida!

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Clay-colored Thrush or Yigüirro

Clay-colored Thrush or Yigüirro
The National Bird of Costa Rica 
Joined me for breakfast this morning.
Atenas, Costa Rica
“With its unmistakable tune and people-friendly character, the clay-colored thrush is the national bird of Costa Rica. The melodious thrush, known locally as the Yigüirro, is one of the country’s most common birds. While the species ranges from South Texas to northern Colombia, it holds a special place in the heart of Ticos.

“In January 1977 the clay-colored thrush was designated as Costa Rica’s bird, under the government of Mr. Daniel Oduber Quiros. It was chosen in large part for its gorgeous song, which represents the arrival of the green seasons.”   Copied from the Go Visit Costa Rica website

This bird is the same size and a relative of the American Robin with similar behavior, though the song is more distinctive. He is here and singing year around but some say his song in May is what brings the Green Season rains which we are thirsty for after 6 months of dryness. 🙂 This simple bird as a national bird says a lot about Costa Rica and its practical people when we have so many showy birds like toucans and macaws and more resplendent quetzals than Guatemala who call it their national bird. Thankfulness for the life-giving rain that this bird supposedly brings notes the priorities of the happy Costa Rica people! ¡Pura Vida!  ~Charlie


Some of my other shots of this bird   (“Search” on my gallery)

Or the Costa Rica Birds section of my BIRDS photo gallery