charliedoggett.net
 |
| This is on CATUCA’s website and they hope shared by other like this. Fliers are just not done much here with word-of-mouth the main publicity. Everyone just knows when it is happening except some segregated gringos. |
See my photo gallery People & Fiestas.
 |
| 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:
 |
| 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.
 |
| 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? |
 |
| 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!
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.
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! 🙂
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.
 |
| The high school volleyball team goes to city hall to be recognized by mayor. Then . . . |
 |
| Their bus is led through the town by policia, bomberos (fire truck) and ambulencia, all with sirens in sort of a parade back to the school. |
 |
| Of course the kids show off their trophy! |
 |
| 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! |
 |
| 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.
 |
| At least Nicole enjoyed his “Churchill,” a slushy with ice cream! Can you imagine that? |
A group of 6 of us went to eat at a beach-side cafe where I absent-mindedly laid my camera bag (backpack) on the concrete floor behind my chair next to the sidewalk. We ate, visited, and had a good time together. As we got up to leave I realized my backpack was gone, easily grabbed by someone walking by. I should know better! As someone suggested, I paid my “Gringo Tax” or more accurately my “Stupid Tax.” I did feel stupid, but also a little empty, violated, hurt, and helpless. We told a foot patrol
policia who just told us we had to go down to headquarters to file a report and the bus was leaving in 15 minutes. Nothing else to do.
With no cameras beyond my cell phone, I cancelled my Monzanillo Bird Watching trip (which I had thought about doing anyway with my busy schedule and expenses) and will use the money saved to help buy a single new camera and a better lens that I have been wanting anyway. But it will cost a whole lot more here, whether purchased locally or on internet with import taxes. Maybe the duty free shop in Nicaragua will have a good deal tomorrow, but I doubt it. And in the mean time I honestly feel sorry for the thief, who must live a hard life. Does he give any thought to the person he robs? He can’t think very well of himself!
Tomorrow early I leave for Nicaragua border to renew my visa. G’night!
 |
| Teen in one of the school bands |
Okay. I’ll stop after this, though there are a lot more photos from the parade that I like. 🙂
I could have made this Faces post all children, but since I used some faces of them in Post 1 (children), and a cool youth face in Post 2 (bands), and another youth face in Post 3 (flags); this is mixed, even with adults.
I’ll go back to bugs and bird tomorrow, but Wednesday I head out for 4 nights in the Talamanca Mountains, so more new stuff then! Maybe a better photo of a Resplendent Quetzal! Then the following week to the Nicaragua border on Visa Run again. And the week after that to the Caribbean again. Never a dull moment! 🙂
And don’t you like the looks of the Atenas Ticos?
 |
| Do you not want me to make this photo? |
