Oxcart Parade 2018 Atenas

Rural Families is always the focus of Atenas’ Annual Oxcart Parade, last Weekend of April.
 Atenas, Costa Rica
Here a teen is the “Boyero” (Oxen Master) with sis in cart and Mom & Dad Walking behind
Atenas, Costa Rica

One of the many colorful Oxcart Wheels
Oxcart Parade, Atenas, Costa Rica

A few Oxen are entered into the contest without carts, some by older children or teens
I guess it is like FFA in the States or other programs to help budding farmers.
Atenas, Costa Rica
Last year our local University provided Latin Dancers – This year a team of ropers!
Oxcart Parade, Atenas, Costa Rica

The university campus on the edge of Atenas is one of the many UTN (Universidad Técnica Nacional), this one focusing on farming with students coming from all over Latin America as possibly the best agricultural school in Latin America or at least the best in Central America. They are good about participating in major local events like this – good neighbors! Good citizens! We like our student farmers at UTN!

Though I’ve seen them before, I always enjoy! They’re good!
Oxcart Parade, Atenas, Costa Rica
PEOPLE! You will have to go to my online gallery to see my interesting people shots.
And there are always some very interesting and colorful people! 
Oxcart Parade, Atenas, Costa Rica

I know that I still post too many photos for a blog, but I have so many more interesting photos I want to share, thus it has to be on the photo gallery: 2018 Oxcart ParadeI’m working on it now and will try to finish today or tomorrow. Takes time!

This gallery is a part of my section called PEOPLE & FIESTAS. And of course there are other sections like BIRDS and TRIPS that pretty much document my 3 1/2 years in Costa Rica thus far and you can see them all at my SmugMug Gallery titled: Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA.


Enjoy photos of my 
¡Pura Vida!


Independence Day 2017

Lots of Bands!
See more in the Photo Gallery

Lots of Traditional Dancing! 
 See more in the Photo Gallery

Lots of Children! 
 See more in the Photo Gallery

It is my new approach to the blog, not putting 12 or more photos for one event, but rather linking to those many cool photos in my online gallery. You will especially enjoy some of the faces in this new photo gallery:

Portraits of an Atenas Parade (Post 3 of 3, Children Focus)

My third and last post on the Independence Day Parade 2016 in Atenas, focusing on Children:


You don’t have to be in the parade to enjoy it!


Two boys who watched the parade across from me. 



Watchers wear traditional clothing too!

Reluctantly in the parade.

Papa helps me see the parade better!

Carrying School Sign

A Tiny Watcher in Costume

Primary School Girls love to dress up! 

And boys love to play the drums!

And there were many drummers!

Role-playing a Farmer

And watching dressed as a farmer!

See All of the 2016 Independence Day Parade Photos in one place in my gallery.

AND


I went for birds and photographed many plus a whole lot more!  🙂
And yes, we have lots of beaches this un-crowded on both coasts.
How can you not love it here?
PURA VIDA!



Portraits of an Atenas Parade (Post 2 of 3, Teenagers/High School Focus)

The second of three posts on the 2016 Independence Day Parade in Atenas, focusing on Teenagers:  And obviously I focused on the people this year, thus the “Portraits” title!

Most of the high school kids here are beautiful and handsome!

One of many flag bearers.
And another . . .

with lots of flags it was very patriotic and colorful!

Serious sign carrier in one school. 

And I think a drum majorette?

“Freedom of Expression”

Including wearing your patriotism!

And dressing the way you want?

A Ceremonial Mask Tradition from the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

“Say Yes to Tolerance and Respect”  (Anti-bullying Campaign)

And more drummers than anything in all the bands! 

See All of the 2016 Independence Day Parade Photos in one place in my gallery.

TOMORROW the focus is on Children!

Portraits of an Atenas Parade (Post 1 of 3, Adult/University Focus)

The Independence Day Parade or Quince de setiembre desfile (like the U.S. 4th of July). I’m presenting a few of my photos in three posts: Post 1-adult/university, Post 2-teen/high-school, and Post 3-children/primary.

Most of this post is of ADULT & COLLEGE STUDENT PARADE PARTICIPANTS

Literally thousands of Costa Rican flags were in the 2.5 hour parade
with every band, school, organization, etc. 

These three boys and the grandmother with small child were
directly across from me during the whole parade, so in other photos too.

Ladies in traditional dress on truck/float for one of the two
Adult Continuing Education Universities nearby.

The farmer’s university had beautiful traditional dancers in pairs
dancing down the street which was beautiful!

One of the above dancers up close.
This is the only time of year you can see the traditional clothing/dancing.

Even small universities have bands!

Seldom see a sax in a high school band

With trumpets being a little more common. 

All ages are training in farming and livestock raising.

Atenas is full of beautiful, friendly, and smart people!

Young cowboys everywhere love to show off!

And I couldn’t settle on just one roping photo! 

This reminds me of my days at Will Rogers High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma
where we had ropers instead of baton twirlers leading our marching band.
And our ball teams were called the “Will Rogers Ropers!” There 1955-58.

Some of these young adults are the future of the farms surrounding Atenas!
It is a town about the size of Warren, AR where I was born, very rural,
but also just an hour from the capital, so more of a “bedroom community”
for the city than my little birthplace farming town.
Atenas is known for its coffee while Warren for its tomatoes and pine trees!

Tomorrow’s Post: Portraits of a Parade: Teenagers or the high school bands, etc.
Following Day: Portraits of a Parade: Children – everyone’s favorite, saved for last!
After That: Maybe several days of photos from my trip to the southern Caribbean town of Manzanillo

See All of the 2016 Independence Day Parade Photos in one place in my gallery.

NEW COMPUTER ORDERED

And by then I should have my new computer, ordered Friday from a warehouse in San Jose and hopefully in and functioning with my all my files and programs by Monday evening, but typically things take longer here.  🙂  Unitec Computacion, the local computer store I ordered through said it would take at least a full day to transfer everything from my old computer to new one. More about the computer later and why I hate America’s Best Buy Store and their Japanese-made Asus Computer. In short, the processor was overheating and it had nothing to do with the fans. It can be ordered and replaced but the hard drive is damaged and cannot be fixed thus I would also need a new hard drive and on my Tamarindo trip I broke the glass on the screen which cannot be replaced but the entire screen must be replaced. Better to get a new computer and I’m trying solid state this time which hopefully will mean fewer problems. I’ll tell about the new one when I get it. Most available computers here have Spanish keyboards built in, so I had limited choices with English keyboard. I’m not quite ready for the Spanish keyboard yet, maybe next time!  🙂

FIRST FREE BUS RIDE!
Wednesday I did some errands in Alajuela and returned the rent car at airport there, then rode the bus back to Atenas. For the first time it was gratis! Free! For longer trips I will have to pay something but at a good discount! It pays to be old and have the Gold Card here! 
PRICESMART

And for those readers thinking of moving to Costa Rica, here’s an article about PriceSmart, our version of Costco or Sam’s Club in the states. It is where Gringos go for American products along with Walmart and a supermarket call Automercado. Of course all American products are more expensive here because of the import tax.  

Atenas Oxcart Parade Today!

And this small child stole the show as she led her toy oxen in pulling a toy oxcart!

In fact there seemed to be more of an emphasis on the children this year in what has always been a family affair to celebrate and remember the important part boyeros (oxcart drivers) played in the history of Costa Rica as the first land shippers of coffee and bananas to the two big port cities for shipment to the U.S. and Europe.

The parade still had the colorful oxcarts! And the big oxen!
And most included the whole family as usual. A Family farm affair!
But many were led by children this year as the Oxcart Leader or Boyero.

And a few even had young oxen!

While others had their hands full!

But all accepted their responsibility with pride! 
Goat Carts were in parade this year for the first time, led by kids of course!
Pun intended! 

And there are more Women Boyeros each year! 

And the whole time the Central Park is filled with tents, entertainers, arts & crafts, food & drink vendors, a playground, and plenty to do if you get bored with the parade.

A Rooster on Stilts!
and . . .

. . . and another on foot, representing Gollo, a big furniture/appliance store.

Someone leading the children in games before the parade started.
And of course all the food, drink, balloons, etc. available to buy! 

The parade always starts with police and horses, one carrying the
Costa Rica Flag:

Red, white and blue patriotism!

I watched the parade with 3 friends, Anthony, Jean and Carolyn and then afterwards we went to La Finca for pizza and pasta. A fun day! And if you want to see photos of the bigger oxen being led by men and other views, see my photos from last year’s parade at:  2015 Oxcart Parade  on this blog.

Another happy day in Costa Rica!

Atenas Climate Fair Started Today

Any Excuse for a Fiesta! Climate Fair celebrates our reputation here for
the “best weather in the world!” Mejor Clima del Mundo!
Friday & Saturday is a crafts & food fair with lots of live music including
big bands on the stage at night. I rarely go out at night.  🙂  Old man!

Daytime boring music with the old men playing the Marimba or . . . 

One of the small rhythm and brass bands playing traditional music.
The park is a lot livelier at night with rock, pop and lots of dancing. 

And midday Sunday is our famous annual Oxcart Parade which I will
see and photograph again this year. This is a photo from last year.

I can hear the high school marching band practicing tonight, so I guess they will be in the parade Sunday. And I can hear the lively pop music from the Central Park stage that attracts the young people and those who love to dance. There are lots of “happy sounds” around here most weekend nights and occasionally on a weeknight. 

One of the promotional websites about the Climate Fair and Oxcart Parade