Category: Culture

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Preparing for Sunday the 15th

All the Schools Prepare for Independence Day Parade

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Escuela Central, the large main Public Elementary School’s band practices for Sunday’s parade. 

The high school bands have been practicing too with the same monotonous drum beat that it seems all the bands use. Note in the photo above two interesting facts that tell about the culture or a small town:   (1) The band director is almost a kid himself, first job out of college as a low-paid music teacher in rural elementary school.  (2) All the girls play a xylophone and all the boys play a drum, either snare or bass.   🙂   I regret that I will miss this year’s parade, but I’ve seen it several times!   🙂

My Friday Night Treat

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Every Friday night I have my one steak a week at Parrillada Androvetto which has a big platform deck overlooking the surrounding hills and the Public Cemetery above. Tonight the clouds hung low on the hills, but still no rain. Yes, it is now a semi-drought for rainy season. Met a nice young couple at Androvetto from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. I like the “Small World” effect of living in Costa Rica!

Whale-Watching Starts Sunday

Sunday morning I fly to Palmar Sur and check in to the Cristal Ballena Hotel  in Uvita for the week where I will go Whale Watching on Monday for the first time in my long life and if satisfied (get whale photos) I will use the rest of the week to photo birds and a very special Nauyaca Waterfalls one day.  I drove through Uvita on the 2014 Relocation Tour and have flown over its famous “Whale’s Tail Beach” in my photo below from a Carcovado trip.

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My hotel is in this little South Pacific town and the whaling boat will probably deport at Dominical, a nearby larger town. The waterfall is up the mountain & birds everywhere!

🙂

Retired in Costa Rica

¡Pura Vida!

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Two Hours in Bank Today – Lessons Learned

After waiting  only a short time for a teller, she could not help with my problem, I was therefore sent to “la platforma” or set of desks with persons supposedly more knowledgeable than a teller. My problem was that I got an email, in Spanish of course, that told me the auto-debit of my TV/Internet Service monthly bill failed. Well, it was because they used my local bank debit card to get their money and this month my card was replaced with a new one to include “a chip” which also meant a new number. The teller did pay my TV/Internet bill with a transfer, so at least no disconnect for now! 🙂

After waiting nearly an hour (15th in line) for one of the three “specialists,” she worked and worked on her computer and called the cable company talking at least 10 minutes to someone there and finally used a translator on her computer to tell me in English that the only way CableTica would correct it was for me personally to respond to the email (in Spanish of course) with my new card number. They are not allowed to let the bank or anyone else speak for me! I came straight home and did that. Hope it works!   🙂   Just another little irritation of living in a modern society in any country! 🙂

But this is also another lesson in the importance of learning the local language! I’m doing much better and communicated with all in the bank in Spanish though understanding what they say back to me is more difficult!   🙂  To make me feel a little better, a French couple was at the next desk to mine and the man was going on and on about something in the French language, raising his voice and I felt sorry for the banker helping him. She too used her computer translator and a cell phone. It is disrespectful to not learn and use the local language and that was part of the reason our waits were so long at the bank!

“You live a new life for every language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once.”     – Czech proverb

¡Pura Vida!

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Park Renovation – Poco a Poco

Well, this morning they seem to be burying large pipes all around the circular concrete base for the Central Park Kiosk or stage. It could be for electrical and sound wiring underground or simply storm sewer drainage from the roof. No sé! I don’t know! And “poco a poco” means “little by little” they are completing the work. Pura vida! No rush here!    🙂   Without deadline stress you live longer and happier! Hey! We’re one of the happiest countries in the world for a reason!   🙂

See the gallery:  Remodeling Central Park inside my Atenas Gallery (my contribution to local history)   🙂

Or the city’s architect drawings   (can be seen as slide show)

¡Pura Vida!

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Through-the-Fence Beauty

One advantage of walking everywhere (I still do not have a car) is you see more! Walking to town I noticed this orchid through a metal bars fence and used my cell phone to snap between black bars this shot of unanticipated beauty!

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”

~Vincent Van Gogh

¡Pura Vida!

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New Youth Art

The wall on the back side of Colegio Liceo (College Prep High School) had all its graffiti painted over with black paint and new graffiti-style art painted – I assume by the high school art class students, though they signed each piece like a street artist (possibly wannabes).   🙂    Freshness is always good and though not my favorite style of art, it seems to be typical of teenagers today around the world.

It is important to me because I walk down this street almost every day and have to look at it.    🙂

New High School Graffiti

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”       ~Pablo Picasso

 

For more of my photos of such art here in Atenas, Costa Rica, see my gallery:  Public Art & Graffiti – Atenas 

or  for a broader look at Costa Rica Art, my gallery People, Fiestas & Art.

¡Pura Vida!

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Tranquilo Banana Azul

The latest trip book is completed, a short & simple photo book of 36 pages for only $19 which is low price for a photo book + order by 10 September and get 40% off with discount code:   SEPTEMBER4T

Banana Azul is maybe my most relaxing hotel in Costa Rica or certainly the Caribbean, thus I focused on the tranquility of nature there with several sunrise photos along with birds and other nature!   🙂   Click this link or the cover image below to see a FREE PREVIEW electronically of all pages of the book. As always, full screen mode is better for photos!   🙂

https://www.blurb.com/b/9637630-tranquilo-banana-azul

Tranquilo Banana Azul

 

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”   ~ Henry David Thoreau

¡Pura Vida!

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Farewell to these trees . . .

A most relaxing time in nature, that top, end/corner room was mine this week, looking through these trees to the ocean daily – – – and now back to my Cecropia and Fig Trees for the surprises of nature there for awhile. Life is great “Retired in Costa Rica” and . . .

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.”

~Aristotle

🙂

¡Pura Vida!

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My last shot here.

Trip Gallery:  2019 Banana Azul

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Beach Afternoon

I know – it is not like “Hyper Charlie” to just sit or lay on a beach for any length of time when there are things to chase with my camera – but I did after deciding to postpone my trip to the Sloth Rescue Center until tomorrow. The hotel is not full (low season) and the big group here went white water rafting today, so only me and one young couple on the beach and one bored young hotel waiter from whom I ordered a Strawberry-Pineapple-Mango Smoothie and talked for an hour or more about birds, sloths, and his old beat up Hyundai. He was glad to have someone to talk with.  🙂

I also read about three chapters in my latest Agatha Christie mystery, so a nice afternoon chilling out, watching the ocean and I even got these photos!    🙂

Beach Afternoon

Now it is raining again and so refreshing . . .   as I sit on my big deck with my computer! Next is a great dinner tonight!   🙂

My “Howler Suite” deck which partly overlooks the beach at far right. Best room here!
  • An ocean breeze puts a mind at ease. …

Banana Azul

¡Pura Vida!

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First Day Photos

I guess this is becoming typical of me, too many photos the first day of a trip. There just seems to be so many photo possibilities that I can’t stop. To not look overwhelming, I’ve grouped them into slideshows. Pick the one that interests you!   🙂

Hotel Banana Azul

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Flowers – Hotel & Puerto Viejo

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Puerto Viejo

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Airplane Shots

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Hotel Banana Azul Website

¡Pura Vida!

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Welcome to Puerto Viejo!

I like this new welcome video Banana Azul has commissioned for its website! It’s casual nature kind of depicts the casual nature of the place that is popular with young American Backpackers staying in hostels, as well as more traditional tourists like me. Be sure to click the “Full Screen” Icon in lower right corner while watching:

I will be doing another personal post later as I share my arrival here! Though the featured photo at top is mine showing how American advertisers are welcome to spend their money here! Ha, ha!    🙂

¡Pura Vida!