I got photos of more that just butterflies and birds in the CR Caribe! Check out these 8 weird and colorful insects from along the same beach road at Hotel Banana Azul where I photographed birds and butterflies.
Fun Insects
Radiation – The Next Adventure
For the last few days or so everything has been a “moving target” for me with an initial consultation with the radiation doctor explaining everything medically and checking me out and now we are putting a plan together with her staff and on the calendar, plus I’ve arranged to pay for it. And oh yes, this doctor is a specialist in radiation to the head and neck! 🙂 Hopefully my surgery neck swelling will soon be gone and the tender scars on my left face and neck healed better than they are now. I’m still sore and sensitive with only minor internal pain that I treat with Ibuprofen. They prefer these surgery “irritations” gone before they create new ones with radiation! 🙂
Below is their 3-step plan AND
“My Plan to Make it Fun.” 🙂
Continue reading “Radiation – The Next Adventure”Tamale-Making Class en Español
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| The meat and some vegetables were cooked ahead of time The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| First, some of our Su Espacio class member ground fresh corn to prepare fresh tortillas for our coffee break The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Felix, one of the twin boys from Germany hand-grinding yellow corn The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Cecelia’s family members made these scrumptious corn tortillas which we ate with coffee grown on their farm. Delicioso! The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| All morning people worked on cutting and cleaning banana leaves to later wrap our tamales in. The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| As with families preparing for Navidad, everyone including kids had a job to do. The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Washing cilantro & other spices from the garden outside The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Cutting up vegetables The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Cutting up freshly cooked pork The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Cutting up freshly cooked pork The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Using a grater and sieve to make fresh tomato juice for the recipe The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Listening to instructions from Corinna The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Felix & Jon take turns stirring the white cornmeal batter for tamale base The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| We all worked and visited all morning – A great together time! The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Finally we start putting them together! The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| A family member shows us how to wrap the final tamale. The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| Soon the tables were filled with tamales! The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
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| And we looked like a tamale factory! 🙂 The kitchen of Sra. Cecelia, Atenas, Costa Rica |
This was an activity sponsored by David & Corinna of Su Espacio as a total immersion Spanish activity. It was totally in Spanish, a lot of fun, cultural learning, tasty, and good use of the Spanish language! I loved it even though my leg was hurting.
AN ASIDE: On my way walking to Su Espacio to carpool to the farm my right leg that’s been giving me trouble had a spasm as a made a big step up from street to high sidewalk and caused me to fall. I finished my trip in taxi, even though I had a B-12 shot just yesterday! I planned to go back to Dra. Candy’s office after the class where I mainly stayed in a chair. Well, near the end of class, the enthusiastic young German Felix opened the can of Garbanzos (each Christmas tamale has 2 garbanzos representing mama & papa.). Unfortunately he sliced his finger open pretty bad on the tin can. Kindly George took the boys and me with Mama Corinna to Dra. Candy’s office where Felix was treated first by the paramedic on duty this Saturday and Felix’s Papa came and picked him and his brother up to go home (their 6 week home) which is in Roca Verde not too far from me. Small world! They also got medications and/or prescriptions to avoid infections.
Then I was examined by the paramedic who called and consulted with Dra. Candy. I was given a pain shot this time and Rx’s for muscle relaxant and a gel to rub on the hurting areas of my leg. It periodically hurts very bad, especially when I get up from a long sit at desk or walk downhill! I go back Wednesday and we discuss if I need a specialist or maybe a physical therapist which they have many of here. It is a problem that has gotten worse, but I’m confident we will find a solution! ¡Pura Vida!
And for my permanent display of these same photos see my “People and Fiestas” Gallery titled:
Tamale Making Class. And for those who would like the recipe, here it is, just for you to make Christmas Tamales in Tennessee! 🙂 ¡Feliz Navidad! (And good luck finding all the ingredients there!)
And for my permanent display of these same photos see my “People and Fiestas” Gallery titled:
Tamale Making Class. And for those who would like the recipe, here it is, just for you to make Christmas Tamales in Tennessee! 🙂 ¡Feliz Navidad! (And good luck finding all the ingredients there!)
TAMALES NAVIDEÑOS
Ingredientes
1 paquete de MASA blanca de maíz (´´Doña Juana´´ o ´´Doña Arepa´´),
1,5Kg de posta de cerdo,
1Kg de papas,
2Kg hojas de banano o plátano específicos para hacer tamales,
0,5Kg de tocino,
0,5Kg de zanahorias,
2 chiles rojos,
1 tomate,
Achote para dar color,
1 lata grande de garbanzos,
1 lata pequeña de guisantes o petit pois,
1 rollo de culantro Castilla,
1 rollo de culantro Coyote,
1 rollo de pabilo (cuerda especial),
1 salsa Lizano,
2 cabezas de ajo,
1 rama de orégano,
2 paquetes de consomé de pollo,
2 ramas de apio, sal y aceite.
TAMALES NAVIDEÑOS
Preparación
1) COCINAR LA CARNE DE POSTA DE CERDO. (Doña Cecilia la prepara en la mañana temprano antes de que nosotros lleguemos).
Picamos finamente y cuidadosamente media cabeza de ajos.
Ponemos la carne en una olla con agua suficiente para tapar la carne (la carne la ponemos entera), ponemos también una rama entera de apio, la rama de orégano, y la media cabeza de ajos picados finamente.
Ponemos sal al gusto.
Cocinamos hasta que la carne esté suave.
Después quitamos la carne del caldo, la dejamos enfriar y quitamos la rama de orégano para botarla.
Mientras la carne enfría continuamos con la preparación de las verduras.
2) (por razones de falta de tiempo, también el paso número 2 lo prepara doña Cecilia en la mañana temprano)
Picamos finamente 3 dientes de ajo.
Pelamos las papas y las picamos en cuadritos pequeños, después las ponemos (las papas) a cocinar con un poquito de agua.
Agregamos los 3 dientes de ajo picados finamente, una cucharita de achote para dar color y sal al gusto. Se cocinan al dente.
3) Pelamos las zanahorias y las cortamos en rodajas finitas.
Lavamos los chiles y los cortamos en tiritas.
Escurrimos los guisantes y los garbanzos.
Sacar las hojitas de culantro Castilla de la ramita y NO se botan los palitos de culantro.
Conservar estas verduras crudas para el final.
4) Partimos la carne ya fría en trocitos del tamaño a gusto propio.
Rayamos el tomate sin piel.
Picamos finamente 2 dientes de ajo y los ponemos a dorar con media cucharita de achote.
Después agregamos la carne picada, el tomate rayado sin piel y salsa Lizano al gusto.
Mezclamos bien y doramos por 10 minutos.
5) Ponemos la masa blanca de maíz en una olla grande.
Pelamos una cabeza de ajos y la licuamos con la rama de apio que quedó, el culantro Coyote y los palitos de culantro Castilla que conservamos del paso número 3.
Colamos o filtramos el líquido y lo agregamos a la masa de maíz que está en la olla.
6) También agregamos a la masa del paso número 5 el caldo de la carne de posta de cerdo del paso número 1.
Mezclamos y revolvemos bien, agregamos el consomé de pollo y la sal al gusto.
Cocinamos moviendo constantemente hasta que hierva. Si vemos que la masa se seca rápido antes de hervir le agregamos agua.
7) ¡ ¡ ¡LA MASA SE TRABAJA CALIENTE PORQUE FRIA NO SE PUEDE MOLDEAR ! ! !
Posicionamos las hojas de banano en la mesa: una grande y arriba en el centro una pequeña.
En el centro de la hoja ponemos un cucharón de masa y luego agregamos una cucharada de papas del paso número 2, después una tirita de chile con una rodaja de zanahoria, 2 garbanzos, 3 guisantes y una hoja de culantro del paso número 3.
Por último ponemos un trozo de carne, envolvemos las hojas y amarramos con el pabilo.
8) Una vez que estén armadas las ´´las piñas’’ las ponemos a cocinar sumergidas en agua hirviendo por 30 minutos desde el momento que el agua hierve.
9) Sacamos las piñas, las escurrimos o filtramos y las comemos.
¡BUEN PROVECHO!
Visit to Jade Museum Today
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| One of the retired Americans in Atenas organizes trips like this occasionally. Today’s trip was to San Jose to visit the famous Jade Museum. |
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| Like the gold museum here it is a museum of Pre-Columbian Culture with modern exhibits of not only historic jade pieces but dioramas and videos of the pre-Columbian indigenous people here in Costa Rica. Magnificent San Jose, Costa Rica |
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| The modern building of 5 stories has the latest educational presentations assisting schools in history education. San Jose, Costa Rica |
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| Even a Jade-Jaguar monster for the kids! San Jose, Costa Rica |
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| Afterwards we have lunch at Porky’s Burger Bar, Home of 50 types of hamburgers and 100 beers! San Jose, Costa Rica |
Enjoying Retirement in Costa Rica
Charlie Doggett
¡Pura Vida!
My other photos of San Jose from earlier trips San Jose
Portraits of an Atenas Parade (Post 3 of 3, Children Focus)
My third and last post on the Independence Day Parade 2016 in Atenas, focusing on Children:
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| You don’t have to be in the parade to enjoy it! |
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| Two boys who watched the parade across from me. |
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| Watchers wear traditional clothing too! |
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| Reluctantly in the parade. |
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| Papa helps me see the parade better! |
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| Carrying School Sign |
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| A Tiny Watcher in Costume |
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| Primary School Girls love to dress up! |
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| And boys love to play the drums! |
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| And there were many drummers! |
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| Role-playing a Farmer |
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| And watching dressed as a farmer! |
See All of the 2016 Independence Day Parade Photos in one place in my gallery.
AND
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| 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? |
PURA VIDA!
Festival de Artes, Escuela Los Angeles de Atenas
I’ve gone from visiting two high schools to a primary school today. I’m helping them with promotion of their garage sale in October, raising money for a playground.
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| A younger class represents favorite storybook characters in a skit. Some creative Mom’s with these costumes! |
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| This was the first program in their new outdoor auditorium/theater with covered stage here and covered bleachers. It did rain for part of the program and they invited me to sit in the VIP tent. 🙂 |
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| Nicole, son of David & Corinna at Su Espacio. He’s front & center in red as they sing a song. |
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| Snow White tells her own story complete with magic mirror behind her and basket of poison apples in hand. |
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| Another class has skit on recycling and sorry my photo does not include the girl in a really cute dress made out of newspapers. |
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| A guest band from a school in Alajuela marched in, played concert, and then here they marched out of the outdoor arena (after the rain). They were very good and kind of like a New Orleans Dixieland Band. A common style band in Costa Rica seen at most fiestas & with dancing. That is Nicole and his mother Corinna on far right clapping. And the girl snare drummer was a fave along with a girl sax player! |
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| Disney is dearly loved here! This mural is in the entry hall of the school. |
A child’s smile is like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
~ Author Unknown
~ Author Unknown
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| And after all that, plus hiring a maid who starts next Tuesday, I get a dinner sunset like this! PURA VIDA! |
Seeing Beauty
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| Sunset from Charlie’s Balcony, Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
-Confucius
A little selective focus and cropping via my camera
gave me tonight’s sunset as I wanted to see it
from my immersion in a tropical rainforest.
It is fun seeing, experiencing beauty!
-Charlie
🙂
Moments before it was just this ordinary sunset in a small town:
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| I chose to remove the clutter, the noise, and find the tropical beauty I love! Can you see where I focused as the sun dimmed a little more? Seventeen minutes later and an effort to see beauty! |