– Navajo Poem
All of nature is beauty to me and in Costa Rica I feel like I am surrounded by nature more than anywhere else I have ever been. And as a walker, I truly walk in beauty! (You see more walking!)
Walking Snaps Today
Walking by Alajuela Cathedral this morning I was struck by this beautiful flowering shrub. Cell phone snap |
Walking through Atenas later today, I caught this Blue-crowned Motmot with my cellphone in someone’s yard. I did have to crop in a bit on this one. |
It was a very busy day today and I did not get everything accomplished that I intended, but did get a lot done. Tomorrow Cristian and his crew come to finish my garden and add some trees and shrubs to my yard. You will probably hear about them tomorrow! And eventually I will get around to making and showing some photos of my new house. A busy two weeks!
By the way, Trip Advisor, for which I write reviews, has just published its “Top 10 Beaches in Central America” list and 8 of them are in Costa Rica! Or see the actual Trip Advisor site listing where you have to hit the arrow to scroll through the photos of each beach. Makes me want to reconsider living at a beach, but probably not! 🙂 Beaches are hotter, more humid, and more expensive for living. I can get to a beach in 2 hours or less any time I want to.
Interested in the Nicaragua Canal? Click to read the latest news and how construction has begun.
Alajuela & La Garita
Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría, Alajuela, Costa Rica Kevin’s kind of museum! And a country without an army finds all forts to be historical! This is across from the central plaza. |
Alajuela Plaza Cathedral |
Church of the Agony, Alajuela |
We stop in La Garita at a plant nursery called a Vivero in Costa Rica |
Kevin enjoyed shooting flowers there |
We also tried to find a sugar cane mill we had passed earlier in the week, but failed to get on the right country road. So missed that photo op!
Today’s Alajuela Adventures
Iglesia Bautista 1946, Alajuela |
Aerocasillas Alajuela Office |
From the bus station to Aerocasillas (the blue sign on gray building) is an 11 block walk or as they say here, “about 1100 meters” or actually “oncecientos metres.” Today I had one letter, a check from the sale of my dining room table and chairs, finally! So worth the trip! Then this afternoon when I got home I received notice via email that a package will be ready for me to pick up tomorrow. Grrr! Maybe I go tomorrow or maybe next week! ! It is the replacement blades for my electric razor that I couldn’t find here. Oh well! Another adventure!
Church of the Agony, Alajuela |
La Bohemia Rock Bar across the street from Church of the Agony |
Cab Stand at Church of the Agony – $3 to Walmart – All official taxis are red! |
Waiting for a replacement bus on the western edge of La Garita. |
Cardiologist’s Office?
Cell Phone Capture of Alajuela House that is now a Cardiologist Office. |
At first glance I thought it was some kind of government building! Why? Because all government buildings are two-tone blue and white. But most have a lot more white than this one. The sign is for a cardiologist, Dr. Luis Fernando Valerio Soto. Yet he could work for the government as part of the universal health plan and it may be a government building after all.
Befriending Pigeons in Alajuela
Bus Riding with Grace and Two Churches Today
All photos are by my Samsung Galaxy 4 Cellphone. Surprisingly good! Click photos to enlarge.
Iglesia La Angonia – The Church of Agony in Alajuela |
Today I left the house at 6:15 AM to walk to bus terminal for the 6:55 bus to San Jose, the collectivo or slow route, because the embassy told me I would save taxi money if I got off at Hotel Corobici and road a taxi from there. A lady on the bus told me when we were at the hotel (I didn’t know what I was looking for) and I got a cab for about $3 to the U.S. Embassy after my $1 bus ride to the big city. First bus-riding grace (undeserved or unearned favor).
Alajuela Cathedral, Finished in 1863 |
“Central Plaza Alajuela” is what most call it, or officially “Plaza del Benemento General Guardia” The cathedral is in background |
Towering Palms & Mango Trees Kind of like our’s in Atenas |
Alajuela is a city (ciudad) of 300,000+ while Atenas is a small rural town (pueblo) of about 8,000. And I’m really glad we don’t have a McDonald’s! Pizza and fried chicken by locals is enough westernization for me! I’m loving small town life! Pura vida!
The Mailing Addresses
REQUIRING AN INTERNATIONAL POSTAGE STAMP AT $1.15:
Charlie Doggett
Hacienda La Jacaranda
03-4013
Atenas, Alajuela 20501
COSTA RICA
I PAY A COURIER SERVICE TO FLY IT TO COSTA RICA ONCE A WEEK:
PO BOX FOR MAIL & MAGAZINES ONLY:
Charlie Doggett
PO Box 025-331
SJO 170066
Miami, FL 33102-5331
STREET ADDRESS FOR PACKAGES ONLY:
Charlie Doggett
6703 NW 7th St.
SJO 170066
Miami, FL 33126-6007
If interested in knowing, these two Miami addresses are with Aero Post or Aero Casillas in Spanish, which is a courier service helping residents of all of Central and South America to have a U.S. address which is needed for some internet orders and other purposes. They fly to San Jose (the SJO code in the address) once a week with accumulated mail and packages and take it to my nearest Aero Post desk which happens to be in the town of Alajuela in the same province as me, also Alajuela. It is also the location town for the International Airport and about 20 minute drive from where I will live.
AND A LITTLE SERENDIPITY:
One of the two young men who came in a truck to pick up my boxes for Craters and Freighters of Nashville today was born in Alajuela and lived there until age 7 when his parents brought him to Nashville. Now how about that for a coincidence!