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| The sun sets behind trees and power lines but still colorful and varied! |
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| Seen from end of balcony and all three windows on the west side. |
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| Looking northwest toward downtown Atenas |
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| And back to the west with trees included in this image |
Toucans and a Garden!
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| Three houses over after flying over mine – in lower right. Sorry it is small. |
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| A Pair or a Mother-Child |
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| One big flap of his wings and he glides like a bullet! |
KEEL-BILLED TOUCANS
This was the second of two big excitements today. I sat down on the love seat to catch my breath this afternoon after spending two hours with some gardeners which I’ll tell you about in a second. But I looked out my living room window at the big Strangler Fig tree in my yard and saw a Keel-billed Toucan in it, just his big beak showing. I quietly go get the camera and of course he was gone when I returned, evidently to a tree across the road. Then he flew (above photo) to some distant neighbors where I tried to photograph him and others in some trees there. Some day I’ll get one up closer. But this is the kind of things I see from my deck. And I’m not on vacation! I live here!
GARDEN DESIGNED TODAY
I have watched the neighbor couple my age from Oregon work so hard on planting a garden and knew there had to be an easier way. Well an advertisement went up in our development last week for a landscape company saying they will design and install gardens as well as maintain them and ask for Cristian if you need an English-speaker. I emailed him this morning with photos (below) of the empty corner at the end of my driveway by the entry patio. And scanned my drawing showing the dimensions in meters of course.
I figured I would hear back in a week or so. In less than an hour, as I was preparing lunch, he called and said he was in Roca Verde now working on another house and could come over and look at 2:30. He did with two workers. I explained what I wanted in general and he took notes and explained that I couldn’t have the palm I wanted in this space because of the septic tank and the palm’s long roots, but he promised to provide something against the stark concrete wall and make a garden that I would love with flowers year-around, as well as many butterflies and hummingbirds. I’m so excited! I’d much rather spend a little money like this than a lot on a car!
I ended up getting a Palma Roja at the end of my back sidewalk at the other back corner of the house, expanding my garden visually. I can’t remember all the flower names now that they will install including vines to hang down on the stark concrete wall. Then we went around front and I ordered two pot plants for my deck and one for the living room. The total cost is less than what I would pay for just the plants in the states, AND it includes top soil brought in, three big pots planted, and all the installation labor. And they come install it this Friday! Here’s what the space looks like now, my “before photos”:
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| Seen from the driveway looking toward the entry plaza. I mostly use the sliding glass door on deck for my entry mostly. |
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| The entry patio leading to an entry hall with bath & bedroom to left and kitchen, office, living/dining room and deck to right. |
Of course Friday will be the new, young plants with not as much to showoff yet. But rainy season is starting and by August I think it will be looking good and in another year great! I’m planning to stay here long term! The beach is too hot and too expensive to live at and I’m less than two hours from it anyway! Plus I really like Atenas! My new home!
First Vistas
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| First view is toward downtown Atenas and mountain range. Trees on right are neighbor yards. |
The vista from La Jacaranda was of the close hills of Atenas where this is more expansive, looking over Atenas to the mountain ranges that include Poas and Arenal Volcanoes. So it is quite different. If I walk up to the top of my hill in my landlord’s yard I can see downtown Atenas and the church steeple at Central Park and the mountains to the west (same if I walk up the road in front of my house – photo below).
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| View from about one block up the road from my house with sunshine. The Central Park church steeple is on the left. Amazing difference 50 to 100 feet makes! But they pay for these views! Yet I can walk up there anytime to look or photograph!  |
My view to the west for sunsets is from the end of the balcony on the left in top photo. You look through trees and power lines, thus no wide view of the sunset. Same from both bedrooms. I’ll show some shots of that tomorrow.
That road you see bottom center in front of my house (1st & 3rd photos) is heading straight toward downtown Atenas, where I walk daily. It is just one mile from my house to Central Park and 1.2 to the supermarket I use most often, the Cooperative. Maxi Pali, the other supermarket, is about 1.6 miles I’m guessing, 2 miles at most. I haven’t measured it yet.
I just made a new shot from my balcony right after the afternoon shower which is not as expansive as the 2-pix panorama at top but what I see in one direction:
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| As the afternoon shower stops, looking northwest from my balcony. I live in the foothills of the mountains, a dream life! |
Oxcart Parade!
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| One of 200 or so colorful carts pulled by oxen in the annual Atenas parade. |
As I had planned, I got a seat on the outside window bar at Gelly’s Restaurant for a front-row seat for the entire two hour parade including purchased food and drink! Best seat for parade and beats standing that long! It was packed! This is one of the big events in Atenas each year.
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| It began with horses . . . |
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| As each oxen team got to us they paused in line waiting for their introduction over a PA system and I assume some judging happened at that spot. |
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| Runaway oxen! This team decided they wanted to leave this parade, but the Boyero (team driver) managed to keep them in the parade, after literally going in circles for a few minutes. |
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| Some oxen teams were “in training” and had no cart to pull this time. |
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| Several carts were filled with children having a ball! |
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| Cart Drivers happily allowed for kid photos by doting parents. |
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| Meanwhile the artisans never stopped trying to sell their wares. A big fiesta! |
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| This Latin Crooner began some beautiful singing as the parade ended. And more until 10:30 each night! |
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| And I doubt the clown every stopped! |
Tomorrow I leave early for Spanish class as I will stop by Crema y Nata Bakery to pick up a birthday cake I order for David Castillo, our Spanish teacher. Others are bringing drinks, plates, cups, etc. We might surprise him! Then it is back to getting my new house fixed the way I want it. A busy weekend and the new week could be too, though mostly slowing down.
Starting New House with a Bang!
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| Blue-tailed Hummingbird |
I was concerned that with not as many old growth trees next to my house there would not be as many birds, but not so! Shot this hummingbird from my balcony on my neighbor’s Powderpuff or Mimosa Tree (9 varieties of Powderpuff & 22 varieties of Mimosas in Costa Rica!) Two Kiskadees landed on my balcony railing yesterday but I didn’t have my camera ready! And today I was up the hill talking with my wonderful landlord when two Chestnut Mandibled Toucans landed in a neighbor’s tree and me again without a camera! I should have tried the cell phone but didn’t.
Moved in Thursday morning. That afternoon a rep from Cable Tica came out and did the contract for internet & TV package. Today the techs came out and connected it and have it operating! That was quick for Costa Rica! I was expecting to wait a week or longer. I think I may like this company better that the bigger one used at the apartments and if my 8 mg of internet is not enough, I can pay to get even faster. So far so good.
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| Woodcraft Paper Towel Holder From Atenas Climate Fair |
Last week I missed the horse show in Atenas and was determined to see at least part of the Climate Fair in downtown Atenas this weekend for Earth Week and the Annual Recognition of the historic Boyeros, oxcart drivers. Only walked through the vendors and arts and crafts yesterday (Friday). Today I spent a couple of hours there with minimum entertainment, but I had been looking for two days for a paper towel rack I could install under a kitchen cabinet and could not find one anywhere in town. Well, one of the craft booths had this cute cow paper towel holder which looks pretty good on my granite counter!
The good music and big bands are all tonight downtown, but I’m just too tired to go back, but I can hear it since all my windows are open! And it is a big party with lots of music, dancing, and noise! Ticos know how to party and make music! All I got during the day was the usual Marimba music which is big among the older adults here and children dancing from a local dance studio. But I do have my cow paper towel holder and watched a lot of interesting people including the family with a pet pig. Here are a few of my cell phone photos from this afternoon:
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| Central Park is a Fair this Weekend with rides, food, ice cream, artists & music |
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| Like fairs back home, they attract young families here with even bouncy things. |
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| Both children and youth represented a local dance studio. |
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| A disk jockey provided dance music for all. |
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| And the ever-present Marimba Music for the older crowd! |
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| Family with a pet pig watching the children dance. |
Tomorrow is the big day for daytime activities with Musica Cimarrona where dancers wear masks as an old traditional celebration which will be followed by the annual Oxcart Parade with oxcarts from all over the country parading through Atenas, home of the National Oxcart Driver Monument. I expect to get a lot of photographs!
Shopping at “Vargas e Hijos”
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| My friendly neighborhood hardware store in Atenas, Costa Rica |
With my move to a different house, there is a good chance I will need some hardware as I set up housekeeping again. The nearest Home Depot type store (different name) is in San Jose and I hear they are more expensive with employees who are less helpful than the hometown hardware store. Plus hometown store is surprisingly well-stocked and I can walk to it! The one I use is Vargas & Sons where I have found everything I’ve needed thus far! Now get this “interesting” way all “ferreterias” (small local hardware stores) operate:
- A lot of the merchandise is not on display, so I may have to ask for it, be specific in Spanish, wait until it comes from the stock room, and if it is not the item I want, repeat the process. Patience is a high virtue in Costa Rica!
- There is often someone shadowing me. This can be annoying, but when I need help it is great, so I try to be nice! I’m likely to need help! And my limited Spanish adds to the adventure! The young ones are more likely to speak some English, so I tend to favor them.
- Checking out is a regimented three-step process:
- First the person helping me with the product(s) has to write-up a “factura” (invoice) on their computer terminal. They ask for my “nombre” (name) to attach to it.
- Next, I visit the “cajero” (cashier), where I give my name, pay, and receive two receipts, one for me, the other left at the next step.
- At the “entrega” (delivery) counter, I provide both receipts, the person there checks the itemized receipt against the product(s) in a basket, stamps both receipts (rubber stamps are big here!), and assuming they match, he/she bags my stuff with one of the stamped receipts. More often now he asks if you want a “balso” (bag) before bagging. (Going green or saving money?)
It sounds like a lot of trouble, but actually works very smoothly and quickly! And it provides several jobs! The photo above is of their building across from the bus station as featured on their Facebook Page like an advertisement.
Unprepared for First Rain
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| Yellow Bells Trees Shedding Blooms Sunny Sidewalk in Atenas |
I walk in the sunshine under the Yellow Bell trees for a late lunch and early dinner out to try the ribs at the Don Yayo Chicharonerra Cafe. Beautiful day with some rain clouds in the sky like we’ve had for weeks with no rain, so of course it will not rain. Well, while eating we got our first rain of the year (not counting one little shower) and it was a “gully washer” as we would say back in Arkansas. I took a photo but rain doesn’t seem to show up in my photos. The streams and canyons were gushing as I walked home.
We were very dry and having grass fires, so we really needed the rain! But it was so unexpected that I left my apartment windows open AND my laundry drying out on the balcony! Guess what? Some floors got mopped and my clothes went back through the spin cycle with hopefully some sun tomorrow. This is a case for the electric dryer in my new house and almost reason enough by itself for the move! Can hardly wait!
Then after clean up of the rain, I got this “After the Rain” photo of rain fog on the horizon. Hope I get as many photo ops from the new balcony! I just love nature, even in the middle of a town.
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| “After the Rain” from my balcony, Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
Oops!
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| This flycatcher appears to have fallen off the balcony railing, but was actually spoofed when I pointed the camera at him. |
Costa Rica Book Published
You can electronically thumb through the book by clicking on the right arrow beside or below the image above. No obligation to purchase. But I appreciate you sharing the link. This will be the first of many little photo books coming out of my Costa Rica Retirement Experiences. Enjoy!
My Lotusland?
Some of you know that I subscribe to Merriam-Webster’s “Word of the Day” and today’s word is my post for today.
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April 12
lotusland
 LOH-tus-land |
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Definition
noun
Go to Word of the Day website
I have carefully avoided using the word “paradise” to describe Costa Rica or my little small town of Atenas, but the above description of the word lotusland, has a more natural or realistic image of what I am experiencing in my new home.
1. It is partly the place, partly the simple lifestyle, partly the lack of stress, and partly the people that induces contentment for me here. Though the word “idyllic” may be a stretch, it is a place in nature and close to more nature experiences than I have had in any other living situation other than maybe The Gambia, to which I have regularly compared Costa Rica, though everything is better here. My idea of idyllic is being in nature, so maybe it fits as an idyllic living situation for me.
2. I must admit that there is an element of self-indulgence for me here, especially in eating what I like and want and often doing whatever I want to do. I’m trying to avoid groups and commitments that have expectations of me as I felt in so many ways in the states. The planned move to what is a luxury house for me (small and simple but with so much more than the current apartment) is another form of self-indulgence. I will of course share more about it after the move. I may live on that deck!
Okay, so I’m moving to a rich neighborhood in a gated community of big houses like I said I would never do! Well, mine is probably the smallest house in Roca Verde and at about the same price as my apartment. And this is my indulgence now. I will probably be the only person who will walk to the Supermarket, and that is okay with me. I’ll be healthier without an SUV! And if its raining, I use a taxi! And I will be just one mile from the town center. And you can still see the VIRTUAL TOUR of my new house. |
