Category: Costa Rica

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Selling Hot Dogs in Costa Rica

About the same way Oscar Meyer does in the states:

A weiner character at the Supermercado attracts a lot of attention & lots of families have hot dogs this week!
La Coope Supermercado, Atenas, Costa Rica

And having a bouncy house doesn’t hurt sales either!
Marketing through children seems to be world-wide!
La Coope Supermercado, Atenas, Costa Rica

See more of my photos of Atenas in those linked galleries or better yet in People & Fiestas!  And if you like the Vistas from here, 4 of those linked galleries include Atenas vistas. 

And a Canadian Research just shows why people are happier living in small towns!  (Well, at least Canadians? But I’m thinking it is pretty much universal.)

I continue to be pleased with my “Costa Rica Decision Process” (the original name of this blog) that led me to retire in this charming small town in Central Costa Rica. I love it here and that along with the decision to not own a car in my latter years means walking a few miles every day and absorbing the tranquility of this little coffee farming town. (Driving through is not the same!) I regularly thank God for blessing me in my senior years. And for the tropical paradises nearby that I can visit every month for colorful birds and much more!

Retired in Costa Rica
¡Pura Vida!
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A Sphinx Moth?

One of the Sphinx Moths maybe – specific variety not found
La Coope Supermercado Auto Repair Shop
Atenas, Costa Rica

During my first year or so here I was finding new butterflies or moths nearly every week but have not in months if not a year or longer recently. On the last two trips I saw several Banded Peacocks which are kind of common butterflies to me now and nothing else that would land. Both Arenal and Corcovado had several fast-flying butterflies that never landed or slowed down for a photo. That included several Blue Morphos at Corcovado. But this is my first photo in a good while and I cannot positively identify it. If you know, please leave a comment! Or email me. Cell phone shot.

And see my similar photos in gallery  Butterflies & Moths.

¡Pura Vida!

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Clean Water – A Growing Problem Worldwide & Now In Atenas!

The city is now installing these emergency water tanks around town
for when the water system is down (often), water will be closer at hand for families.
As opposed to waiting for the water truck to come by for your water needs.
And the rapid turnover of local politicians continues as a “real fix” is still not provided! Just promised!
Atenas, Costa Rica

And this is how persons got water in past when the taps aren’t working.
Atenas, Costa Rica

And yes, this “rich” gringo lives in a housing development with our own water system that is virtually never down and on top of that my richer landlord has his own well and pump just for our 3 houses on this property, meaning we always have good water. Many locals might say “Not fair!” And life continues to prove itself not fair. And the politicians continue to promise to do better! Yeah! Right!

THE PEOPLE OF ATENAS ARE PROTESTING WITH SIGNS ON THEIR HOUSES
Here are just 3 of the protest signs trying to get politicians to do something:

“ATENAS IS THIRSTY”
Spray-painted on an outside wall of one of the high schools.
Atenas, Costa Rica

“Water is a right, not a luxury.”
On a home fence in my side of town. 
Atenas, Costa Rica

“Atenas needs water.
Atenas united by the right to water.
A whole town is protesting.
I say: Present! 
On another home on my side of town. There are many more! 
Atenas, Costa Rica

For many of us, clean water is so plentiful and readily available that we rarely, if ever, pause to consider what life would be like without it. 

~Marcus Samuelsson
Water is life!

Pray for a working water system in Atenas.
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Seeing Between the Leaves

Back in November 2016 I did a similar post on seldom seen spots of a garden and wrote: 

“In the forest or my garden, one must look through tiny windows to see behind the leaves.” Again I share what I see in my garden, plain & simple yet full of fantasy!

I’m always astonished by a forest. 
It makes me realise that the fantasy of nature 
is much larger than my own fantasy. 
I still have things to learn. 
~Gunter Grass
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The flowers have to be sisters of the birds..!!

My favorite birding group here now is a Tico Facebook group called:  Asociacion Ornitologica de Costa Rica

The one photo I posted there from my Arenal trip was this Keel-billed Toucan that I also used on the cover of the book about Arenal Observatory.

Several comments were made but the most interesting was from Diego who said,

Las flores han de ser hermanas de las aves..!!

ENGLISH TRANSLATION: 
The flowers have to be sisters of the birds..!!

It is possibly and old saying or even a quote from some writer (though my Google search did not find an author), but I thought it so interesting and true especially with some of the many colorful birds here in Costa Rica and I appreciate Diego’s comment! 

Toucans are difficult to photograph even with the tower at Arenal putting me up on their level! But they certainly are a lot like flying flowers!   🙂


If I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes. 
~Charles Lindbergh
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Life is Good in Costa Rica!

Things are good in Costa Rica with a very stable democracy and a wonderful and progressive new president and we are the first country in the Americas to elect a black woman as Vice President! 

Ths and other things are discussed in my San Ramon retiree friends’ newsletter and in this edition they reprint their list of reasons for retiring in Costa Rica. I think you might enjoy it at link below.

Retire for Less in Costa Rica NEWSLETTER Current Edition:
http://retireforlessincostarica.com/retire-for-less-in-costa-rica-may-12-2018/

I basically finished my photo book on Arenal Observatory Trip today, but need to double check it and then wait for Blurb to announce a sale. In the meantime check out my TRIPS GALLERY on this trip to Arenal Observatory Lodge. 

And I now look forward to my June visit to Boca del Toro, Panama on an island in the Western Caribbean, my first trip of 7 days since moving here. More time means not only seeing and doing more but more relaxation!

¡Pura Vida!


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My Room at Arenal Observatory

This view from my room is the most memorable part of the lodge room. See More Volcano Shots
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
I had to be laying down on the bed to have the view inside, but outside is “in your face”
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
My one selfie was with the volcano, here on the dining room deck
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
The two side windows looked out on the Restaurant Deck and the lake 
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

This side view was also beautiful and where I caught the sunsets. (link to sunset photos)
 Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Also where other hotel guests assembled before meals & for volcano & lake photos + bird feeders
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

At about 5 pm each day one or two of the La Fortuna Expedition buses brought a crowd
of mainly young adult backpackers for volcano, lake & sunset photos before their group dinner here
and then return to their less expensive lodging after a day of whitewater, rappelling, zip lining, etc.
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
The first two days the maids left towel animals on my bed
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

See My Room Gallery for more photos of the room.
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
AND the bird feeders were also next to my room’s deck!

Great Curassow male at fruit feeder by my room deck   
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Great Curassow female at fruit feeder by my room deck  
 Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Montezuma Oropendola at fruit feeder by my room deck  
 Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica


COSTA RICA NEWS:

Women elected to 5 of 6 leadership roles in Costa Rica’s new legislature
An online article in Tico Times.

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Arenal Tropical Flowers & Plants

This is just a small sampling of many more photos in Arenal Observatory trip gallery:
Flowers & Tropical Plants. Arenal Observatory Lodge grounds are a Botanical Gardens!

Arenal Observatory Lodge

 
¡Pura Vida!
 
 
-o-

And if you like tropical plants but live “up north,” check out how you can go tropical in your house, year-around, 16 Tropical Plants to Grow Indoors. A reader wrote and suggested this.

Top 10 Most Welcoming Countries for Expats
An online article by Expat Organization InterNations
They put Costa Rica at #6. 

 
 
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Eye Level with Monkeys!

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Mantled Howler Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Central American Spider Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Central American Spider Monkey
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Ri

“The Nest” Observation Tower
From which all these monkey shots were made.
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Ri

To learn more about Mantled Howler Monkeys  with videos at Arkive.org

To learn more about Spider Monkeys at Wikipedia
To learn more about Arenal Observatory Lodge Costa Rica at their website
I highly recommend this lodge for whatever your experience with nature will be!
Great location! Great facilities! Great services! Great experiences & vistas!

I am posting this Friday morning before I leave Arenal for my wonderful home in Atenas. It is always good to get back home after a trip, but it seems like every trip is getting better and I continue my “yearn to travel Costa Rica!” And this place is a new favorite to which I plan to return. This year’s trip-a-month includes about 4 repeats and the rest new places. See the map of this year’s trips or another map of places visited before this year. 



¡Pura Vida!

And My Photo Gallery for this Trip is being added to daily while on the trip! 
There you can see all the birds together, etc. plus photos not on the blog.


And for more about Costa Rica, see this Tico Times article What to do in Costa Rica in May and June  from many concerts and festivals to a chocolate tasting!