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First Visit to Hospital Mexico

Hospital Mexico Entrance
It is the largest public hospital in Costa Rica and where most serious
surgeries, tests, and treatments take place; “The Mother Ship” if you please.
There’s a tall building behind this with all the rooms, etc. 

My primary hospital is Hospital Alajuela where I have been seeing a cardiologist (cardiólogo) who now wants a picture of my arteries, an angiogram. Well the only public hospital with equipment for that is the main hospital, Hospital Mexico (named that because it is located in the Barrio México or neighborhood called “Mexico”). It is a huge hospital with lots of doctors, specialists and the ability to do just about anything any hospital can do! And it is paid for by the government healthcare program! I will never have a co-pay or any bill from either on of my two government hospitals. I’m very pleased with my healthcare here and my private options should I ever need them. Just be happier when I can speak better Spanish!  🙂

TODAY – 3 April
I had an appointment to get an appointment. I had to wait and go to three different people which only took an hour which is not bad in a bureaucratic government hospital. One of those was a lady who just created a file on me at that hospital, just like I had to do at Alajuela Hospital to get started there. I’m now one of their patients.
17 April
I have an appointment there with one of their cardiologists who will review the files I have from Alajuela and see if he agrees that I need an angiogram. If so, I assume he tells one of the girls to schedule it. That is two weeks from today which is really not bad. 
Later – Maybe this year or next
I go in for an angiogram (if approved) – Actually I think it will be earlier because I’m gathering that cardiology is considered more urgent, but it could still be 2 months away. We will see.  🙂
Technically, this is my second visit to Hospital Mexico, I did go there briefly in January 2016 on the Healthcare Tour of Costa Rica – which I recommend!

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El Camino de Costa Rica – Coast to Coast Hiking Trail

Video including Charlie Doggett bird photos

Some of my bird photos appear in this first promotional video promoting a coast to coast hiking trail across Costa Rica through the rural areas and small towns where most tourists don’t go. When in Costa Rica hike this to get to know the poor working people of this great little country!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7euE5oQPC8


OVERVIEW

Contribute to building a trail from the Atlantic to the Pacific, bring prosperity to villages while exploring the ecosystems of Costa Rica. Asociación Mar a Mar aims to open a new international tourism opportunity that will offer an unparalleled hiking challenge and experience of the natural and cultural attractions of Costa Rica. This new 250 km trail, El Camino de Costa Rica: del Atlántico al Pacífico, will run from coast to coast, yet visitors can walk it in 15 days.

Summary

Our aim is to have every hiker in the world want to walk El Camino de Costa Rica, or part of it, at least once in their lifetime.  As travellers pass through rural towns along the Trail, they will stop for food, supplies, lodging, and to enjoy restaurants and cafes.  These towns and villages will grow economically in response to the establishment of the trail. This slow, socially inclusive economic development of rural towns is the fundamental objective of the effort.
Mar a Mar, with 23 Associates, including business leaders, tourism operators, local leaders and hikers, was established as a nonprofit association in Costa Rica in November of 2016 and has a strong volunteer Board representing varied expertise and a committed Executive Director. Six team leaders implement various aspects of the organization: Route Development; Community Engagement; Institutional Engagement; Communications and Public Relations; Fundraising; and Legal and Fiscal matters. With this disciplined and committed Board and volunteer team leaders, Mar a Mar has been able to accomplish a great deal in one year.
Mar a Mar has succeeded in becoming known in the world of hiking in Costa Rica, has presented its work to several gubernatorial entities where the ideas were well received and has established relationships with several lodges, community leaders and cooperatives such as Coopearruco in Orosi.   We have a digital version of the route available for guides to take groups. El Camino de Costa Rica travels through public roads as well as through the indigenous people’s lands. Of the 15 towns where hikers would sleep, all but 5 already have capacity for at least 20 tourists.  One of our accomplishments in 2016 was to establish the capacity to take day hikers on the route and to date we have walked seven of the fifteen sections with groups. A major accomplishment has been the establishment of relationships with experienced tour operators who plan to start leading hikers along the route in 2017. In fact, the first hiker completed walking the Trail in February!  We have a Board treasurer and a CPA on retainer.

What We Need

These are some key milestones that still need to be achieved. We can’t accomplish them without your generous support!
In order to fund our initiative, we seek seed money of  $50,000. Under the strong leadership of the Mar a Mar Board, the seed money would contract with program managers who would work on priority projects which will include:
  • Work with local associations to improve and maintain the trail.
  • Work with local associations to mark the trail.
  • Implement the Mar a Mar marketing plan which includes audience identification, developing content for advertising and publicity and the best media for the various publicity messages, and developing orientation and guide materials for hikers (maps, trip preparation information, lodging and dining guides, identifying nearby attractions along the trail, safety and first aid information, etc.)
  • Continue to engage with tour operators to take tourists along the route.

The Impact

Costa Rica’s GNP is driven by tourism, but rural towns do not benefit from this economic gold mine as tourists are commonly frequenting the coastal areas of Costa Rica, and neglecting the rural and indigenous areas of the country.  This trail will promote carbon neutral tourism, which is sustainable, affordable, and most importantly respects Costa Rica’s natural environment and cultural traditions.
Our strategy is that these projects would establish a flow of hikers and thus create a demand that would further engage the communities along the Trail.

Risks & Challenges

Some of the challenges that Mar a Mar faces in establishing El Camino de Costa Rica include unfavorable route conditions.  Some of the zones through which the trail passes have high levels of rain and flooding that impact the trail and bridges. Your contribution will assist in improving and maintaining safety along the route.

Ways You Can Help

A small amount of dollars will go a long way in this project to trigger entrepreneurial opportunities in rural villages
  • $10.00 would go towards developing materials for hikers
  • $20.00 would go towards engaging local entrepreneurs
  • $30.00 would go towards marking the trail
  • $50.00 would improve infrastructure on the trial
Even if you can’t contribute financially, you can certainly contribute in other ways:
  • Share our video and link with your friends
  • Come and hike the trail!
If you want to back it, go to this website and click the “Back It” button. They are in a campaign now to raise $50,000 by this summer. Go here:
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A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book

Even if the book is on my Kindle Fire!
My favorite place to read: on terrace at table or in rocking chair.

And for my friends on “Goodreads” note that they usually only show 2 books being read at a time and I almost always have more in process as my interests change, plus one is a daily devotional book which will take a year. My biggest escape right now is another re-read of another Harry Potter book, then I’ll go back to another mystery unless I find an adventure book that appeals to me. I have television only because it comes with the best price for internet which I must have. I seldom watch television. I’m mostly a “doing person” who is now “doing” things with my photography or simply making more photos! And of course the doing the essentials of life that can take a good bit of one’s time! But in my reading I think I am expanding some the types of books I read, though at my stage of life the most important is reading for fun! Which I do!  🙂 And I no longer feel guilty starting a book and not finishing it. That’s okay!  
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Roble de Sabana

Roble de Sabana
Tree across cow pasture from my house, seen from street.
Atenas, Costa Rica

Roble de Sabana
Zooming in through my trees
Atenas, Costa Rica

It is still dry season and trees that lose their leaves immediately burst out in flowers. This week it is the Roble de Sabana, which is a type of oak tree they say, but nothing like a north american oak!

Rainy season officially starts in May, so just a month away and I will be glad! I prefer the “green season.”

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New Bug in My House

Unknown Insect
Inside my house, Atenas, Costa Rica

There are thousands of species of insects in Costa Rica and I came back from Bijagua with bites from half of them!  🙂   But this one waiting on me at home was a new one for me. I swept him out. Don’t know if this is one the geckos like. But the geckos go outside some during the day, so they still may get him!

Like bugs? Check out my Costa Rica Other Insects photo gallery for all I’ve photographed here other than butterflies that get their own gallery! There are some really interesting bugs!

MEDICAL UPDATE
At Alajuela Hospital today I received a big manila envelope of reports from my cardiologist on the various tests he has done. I am to take the envelope to the Cardiology Department at Hospital Mexico in San Jose Monday morning where he wants me to get an angiogram. I am assuming that they will give me an appointment for  a time to do it if they like all the documents in my big envelope.  🙂  I’ll report back on that Monday night.   ~Charlie
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Doctor Visits

CARDIOLOGIST
Monday I had my first follow-up visit with my CAJA (government healthcare program) at Alajuela Hospital where my cardiologist did another EKG and a ultrasound of my heart. Then he personally monitored a treadmill test of my heart followed by another ultrasound he monitored. It was amazing to me that I was in and out of there in 45 minutes. He told me that the only other test he would like to have on me is an angiogram which he could not order until he consulted at least one other cardiologist there in the Alajuela Hospital because there is not much indication that I would have any blockage. He said he would call if it was approved and then I would have to go to Hospital Mexico in San Jose, which is the only one with the equipment to do an angiogram. It is the primary or main hospital for Costa Rica CAJA or government healthcare.

Well, his technician called me today y hablando sólo en Español. We both struggled through but basically I have to go back anytime tomorrow and get some “documentation” or paperwork from them in Alajuela to take to Hospital Mexico for an appointment for the angiogram. If I understood her correctly, my Mexico appointment is April 10 at 10 AM, but not clear yet if that is when I get the angiogram or, if like most things here, I may just be making an appointment for one much later. I should find out tomorrow.

This is how “single payer” or government or what Americans like to call “socialized medicine” works with priorities given to more serious things, emergencies, etc. It took two months for my first appointment with my cardiologist. No problem for me to wait for this as I don’t believe I have a serious problem. Best of all: No more cost for me now that I have a CAJA card, even if it led to the unlikely case of heart surgery.  I will keep you posted. Dr. Hernandez is basically building a file on me and my heart for any future needs and trying to be responsible for my heart. I appreciate that!

DENTIST
Today I visited my dentist who also speaks only Español and we managed fine for my annual teeth cleaning and checkup by the dentist herself and not a technician. She says once a year is fine and not the every 6 months U.S. dentists request to increase their income. She found the need for one tiny filling which I’m scheduled to get next Tuesday. And that is it for a year! And cheap! Many Americans come here for dental work to save thousands of dollars in what is sometimes called “medical tourism” or even “dental tourism.” A friend in Tennessee has come here twice for his dental work and saved a lot more than his plane ticket and hotel bill. That is for big work like bridges and caps.

Someday I will think about taking a photo at one of these places! It just hasn’t been on my mind with everything else to do like getting there and communicating!  🙂

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Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail

I neither saw nor photographed a single bird, though I heard many. But it was a beautiful walk in the rainforest across the road from the lodge on a trail they created for about 2-3 km. It is a similar cloud forest to what I walked through in Tenorio Park, just fewer people! Here are a dozen photos without much comment:

Rainforest Trail Seen from Lodge Dining Room
Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Tree Fern

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica
One of Many Old Growth Trees

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail,
Bijagua, Costa Rica

Flower at Entrance to Trail

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Fern

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Unknown Berries

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Tree

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail,
Bijagua, Costa Rica

Tree

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail,
Bijagua, Costa Rica

Plant

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail,
Bijagua, Costa Rica

Much Grows on the Trees

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail,
Bijagua, Costa Rica

Air Plant

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Footbridge Over Stream

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica
Trail Welcome & Rules in Spanish, English & French

Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail, Bijagua, Costa Rica
My real highlight was the Birds at Celeste Mountain Lodge, link to earlier post.
Or you might want to see the lodge’s website for more about their services, great food, etc.
For more photos of Costa Rica, see my gallery called Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA
Celeste Mountain Lodge
Another great nature place!
¡PURA VIDA!
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Celeste Mountain Lodge, Flowers, Insects

A “Catch All” post except for Rainforest Trail I’ll share tomorrow.

Each night many came early for dinner to visit & use the wifi.
In addition to this dining room there was a lounge area below, all open-air,
simple, rustic, and ecologically sound structurally.

After breakfast with friends from France, Italy, & New York City.

Hercules Beetle
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Hercules Beetle
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Chestnut-sided Warbler with Caught Insect in Rain
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica
I did not include this photo with the other birds at the lodge. 

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

Hibiscus
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica
Heliconia
Celeste Mountain Lodge, Bijagua, Costa Rica

The real highlight was the Birds at Celeste Mountain Lodge, link to earlier post
Or you might want to see the lodge’s website for more about their services, great food, etc.

Tomorrow I share the last of my trip to Bijagua, “The Celeste Mountain Lodge Rainforest Trail.”

For more photos of Costa Rica, see my gallery called Charlie Doggett’s COSTA RICA
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Tenorio Park & Rio Celeste

Charlie Doggett crossing Rio Celeste 
I sure have a lot of “Jungle Fun” for an old man! Its why I’m here!
Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica 
Welcome Sign 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica 
They are known for Tapirs (the image) but we saw none. 
We did see 5 Peccaries (like wild hogs), probably a family.
And photos below of 3 other animals.

Merging of the Waters 
 
2 streams merge & their minerals mix & turn the water blue. Fun!
30 meters upstream from the bridge photo above. 
Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Trailhead to Waterfall I Missed 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
Strong winds had knocked some trees over trail. Closed all 3 days there.
It was interesting to learn that Bomberos (Firemen) would clean it up. 
And yes, some people went around the yellow tape anyway. Not me.
Sendero Cerrado – Trail Closed

And Every Tree is a Work of Art! 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Brown Wood Turtle 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

White-nosed Coati 

 Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Yellow-eared Toucanet 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Yes, Much of Trail was this Muddy! 

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
I always take two pairs of hiking shoes & one is still drying from cleanup!
¡PURA VIDA!

You may be asking how it could be so wet when you are still in the “Dry Season.” Well, in a cloud forest like this it is always humid, misty, and sometimes raining, year-around. Maybe more so during the rainy season. Same goes for the coastal rainforests, while we in the Central Valley have two very distinct seasons. That is why the majority of the population lives in the Central Valley.

LITTLE CR EXTRAS:

History of Gallo Pinto (beans & rice in Costa Rica)

Starbucks Coffee Farm in Costa Rica

Another Reason to NOT have a Car in Costa Rica  (Besides the high cost)

Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires!   (Dry Season problem around the world!)