Category: Fiestas

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2023 Independence Day Parade, Atenas

This past Friday was the 15th of September, Independence Day for Costa Rica, when in 1821 it shed the colonial rule of Spain. In this small but very significant little developing country, patriotism is big and almost everyone wears red, white & blue and many decorate their houses with banners and flags. I wore my national futbol (soccer) shirt, red, white & blue! 🙂

And almost every town of any size has a parade, usually featuring their local schools, and Atenas is no exception! 🙂 I have for several years now been photographing it most years (when not traveling) with galleries for those years included in my super-gallery: PEOPLE, FIESTAS & ARTS Costa Rica. Which of course now includes a gallery for this year’s 2023 Desfile del Día de la Independencia, Atenas. And here is a sample photo from each of the 7 sub-galleries in this year’s parade gallery . . .

Flags

Flags are a big part of this parade. Click image to see more flags.
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Art Gallery Coming Behind Calle 2 Boat!

Calle 2 Plaza is under construction and could open within the next month or so! One of the 5 shops will now be a new Atenas Art Gallery, the name of which can’t be published until it is registered. So keep reading this blog for more information and see photos of the under construction Calle 2 Plaza and its flower murals below these first two shots . . .

Old land-locked boat on Calle 2, Atenas between Linea Vital & Calle 2.
7 of the 10 local artists opening a new art gallery in Calle 2 Plaza. Meeting here at the gallery location.
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Today is National Cousins Day

Today, July 24 is National Cousins Day in the United States and for those interested in family history or just family memories, it could be very important, for almost everyone has at least one cousin who keeps up with family memories and history or genealogy and then there are the many times we played together as children, almost always outdoors as most of my old photos show. And there’s a brief article on the National Days Archives site.  And the feature photo at top is at a 1948 Hardgrave family reunion with me in the very center.

That’s me on the left with HL “Bubba,” Barbara Ann, and Don Hardgrave in 1944 wartime.

You may not see cousins much, but you have a lot in common. Spending Thanksgiving at “the kids table.” Avoiding the great aunt who wears too much perfume. Helping Grandpa learn to text. Because cousins don’t live with you, they probably also know a family story you haven’t heard. It’s a good day to find out. HAPPY COUSINS DAY!  See my “Cousins Gallery” below, mostly from the 1940″s!  🙂

And though I have no specific cousins pages or stories, they are generally included in my Family History Pages on this website and photos in the Family History Photos Gallery. So “Hello!” out there to all my Hardgrave and Doggett cousins who actually read my blog!  🙂  I have lots of memories of us as children together and should have already written those down! Maybe I will before it is too late! 🙂

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My Birthday Party

And I’m a little late reporting on what was this past Tuesday, but thanks to those who wished me a happy birthday (July 4) from around the world! And it was, as always, happy when I’m in a rainforest! 😊 The photo is of the birthday cake the lodge made for me, decorated with local fruits and topped with a sign that translated to all English says: 83 – Happy Birthday! – Charlie – We wish you a happy birthday full of joy and you enjoy it very much. From: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge.

My 83rd birthday cake in the rainforest!
83 – Happy Birthday! – Charlie
We wish you a happy birthday full of joy and you enjoy it very much. From: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge.

¡Pura Vida!

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Art Show at My House Next Saturday!

One week from today! Anyone in Costa Rica is invited to my casita to view all of my many photo-art items that are available here now. I spent about $5,000 getting ready for a new art gallery that was to open June 15 in Atenas that did not open for various reasons. Now I’m stuck with piles of art work in my tiny casita with no storage space. So almost everything must go! And all is PRICED BELOW MY COST!

COFFEE & ART

9-12 am, Saturday, June 24

Come & Go as you please

105 Roca Verde #2

See photos at: ATENAS ART GALLERY AT MY HOUSE

INCLUDING:

Float-mounted Metal Prints
Floral Accent Pillows
Photo Books
Computer Mouse Pads
Tote Bags
Coffee Mugs
Atenas Photo Cards
Nature-focused Cards
T-Shirts

¡Pura Vida!

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2023 Tope Nocturno de Atenas

With local activities returning after two years of none because of Covid, Atenas had only the second Tope (= horse show or horse parade). For years the city had stopped it because the horse people had been trashing the town with what was almost a drunken brawl. Well it started again just before Covid and with the pandemic over, is on again. And theirs is unique in that it is at night which supposedly allows for more participation. Well, my evaluation is not very positive. The first two dozen or more horses were ridden by serious horse people with well disciplined horses just before it became dark. Then as if queued by the darkness, hundreds of horses chaotically rode all over the streets, back and forth, with a large percentage of the cowboy wannabes drinking beer and other liquor handed them by people in the audience from their ice chests. There was no order and no particular beauty. I would personally prefer a tope in the daylight with no beer or other alcohol. But I don’t have to go next year and probably will not. I like the Oxcart Parade better anyway!  🙂

2023 Tope Nocturno de Atenas

 

That’s one pix for the email announcement and online is a slide show of my poor quality night photos.

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2022 Christmas Parade Atenas

Last night, Friday, was the first annual Christmas Parade in two years thanks to the Covid Pandemic and the people came out for that and the fiesta in Central Park. I got too many photos to share on the blog, so just a sampling here and then please go to my:

2022 Christmas Parade Photo Gallery

I’ve divided the good photos into 4 sub-galleries which you can go directly to from the link on the 4 pix below representing the sub galleries. First a photo of the church just before dark and the beginning of the light parade, then the sample photos . . .

The Central Catholic Church, Atenas, Alajuela, Costa Rica, Sunset before the Christmas Parade.
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Alajuela’s “STARRED” Park

While Alajuela is finishing the reconstruction of the bus terminal for buses from surrounding towns like Atenas, our Atenas bus drops us off downtown and then we catch the return bus between a cemetery and neighborhood city park that I haven’t found a name for yet. For Christmas this year they hung brightly colored stars from all the trees in the park which doesn’t seem that special, but their “Walk-through Stars” on one of the sidewalks is kind of neat to me. Here’s three shots of it from different angles.

Starred Park in Alajuela, Alajuela, Costa Rica.
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