 |
| Melodious Blackbird |
Shot from my front balcony this evening. I’m up to ten species photographed from my balconies and I’ve seen several others including a hawk, but no photos.
Groove-billed Ani
 |
| Groove-billed Ani, Atenas, Costa Rica by Charlie Doggett |
This is an exciting new spotting for me – my first to photograph and right off my balcony around 6:30 PM! At first I thought it was a Smooth-billed Ani, but now see the grooves + smooth-billed only appear in the South Pacific area of Costa Rica. So I came back in November and changed this name.
Sunset Awe!
 |
| So ends another day in Atenas, Costa Rica! |
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. -Psalm 65:8 NIV
Two New Birds & Balcony Shots
This afternoon I photographed birds from my front balcony for the first time. Got two repeats, Great Kiskadee and Scarlet Tanager but also two new ones, Blue-gray Tanager (you can see in aviary at Nashville Zoo Unseen New World) and tried again to photograph one of the several flocks of parakeets that fly over very fast every afternoon. Nearly impossible to photograph, but here’s a fuzzy image!
 |
| Blue-gray Tanager at Hacienda La Jacaranda, Atenas, Costa Rica |
 |
| Someday maybe a good photo of these regular flyovers. |
Today I was given an old and worn (like me) leather & wood rocker for my balcony like some of the other residents have. Now I don’t have to take one of my other chairs out for morning coffee and some evening sits. It is on the front balcony which is larger. The back balcony is the second photo and is longer but narrow with bamboo next to it and lots of other trees closer, making it the better bird photo spot. Also have a clothes line there, but usually use the rack on front balcony for the afternoon sun. In Costa Rica an electric clothes dryer is a rarity. We have sunshine every day, even in the rainy season!
 |
| Rocking Chair for the retired old man! My front balcony. |
 |
| Back Balcony where most birds are photographed. |
Today after Spanish Class I tried a different super market, Maxi-Pali, which is a longer walk but has some things The Coopeatenas doesn’t and has cheaper prices on a few items. They also stock some Walmart house brand products, so guess who probably owns them? It is kind of like it was in the states, I’ll now probably use both some, but the closest is the easiest, so we will see. Also ate at another new restaurant for me that does not have a web presence and I just wrote the first review on Trip Advisor, so nothing to link to now, but that link is to my list of reviews and Olivera will be up in a day or so. It is Pizza Olivera, on the square or Central Park and they deliver, so I will probably use the delivery when Kevin is here. It was very good pizza I thought. I got a personal size Supreme and a liter tropical juice drink for $5. I will return! Like most restaurants here, the dining area is covered open air with views of whatever, this time Central Park with old men on benches, children running and playing, and a teen rolling slowly by on a skate board. Just an ordinary little farming town with lots of happy people! 🙂 It is still fun to be here and to be walking everywhere!
And oh yes, this morning after class I said “yes” to my first volunteer opportunity. I will be helping at the gringo-sponsored Annual Chili Cookoff and fiesta as a fund-raiser for the local children’s home. Some 3,000 people are expected. Don’t know yet what I will do.
Tomorrow is bus to San Jose and my appointment at the U.S. Embassy – hopefully getting the last document needed for my residential application. Never a dull moment yet! But I’m resting tonight!
Blessings to all who take the time to read all my ramblings! I’ll work on making this shorter! Promise!
First Four Back Porch Birds
Couldn’t wait until tomorrow! Posting just before I go to bed Friday night. All were photographed from my smaller balcony on the back side of the apartment. It is likely to be one of my main bird-watching spots. I have seen parrots and toucans flying over, but not close enough to photograph. All four of these are common in this part of the world and I have photographed before. Click image to see a larger version. I just checked my Birds of Costa Rica Checklist and two of these are new sightings for me and three are first-time photos. Progress! I will be adding my checklist to a webpage soon. I have now seen more than 100 birds in Costa Rica and photographed more than 70! And in my photo gallery Central/South America Birds I have more than 100 photos. I will create a separate Costa Rica Birds and Other Animals gallery one of these days.
 |
| Gray-capped Flycatcher |
 |
| Red-billed Pigeon |
 |
| Scarlet Tanager |
 |
| Social Flycatcher |
My Balcony View
 |
| Panorama View from My Third Floor Balcony Click for Larger Image The turquoise rectangle far left is our tennis courts. Pool is behind tree right of center and between those two tin roofs, the owner’s house and “The Rancho” that might become a restaurant. |
I’m liking my new apartment on the third floor, especially the two balconies! This is the view from my front balcony where I drank coffee this morning before another bus trip to Alajuela where I picked up my file box and about 6 or 7 letters including Christmas Cards from a few of you.
This is basically the same view as from my first floor apartment, just from a little more height AND I took three photos and combined them in Photoshop Elements as a panorama. You are looking over a little farming town of 8,000 people surrounded by coffee farms and several gringo housing developments. We have enough gringos, so please don’t move here! 🙂
Late this afternoon I stood on my smaller back balcony which is closer to several trees and a row of bamboo. I photographed 4 different species of birds. Finally! I’ve been too busy and in the wrong place up until now. I’ll share those photos tomorrow in a separate post.
Today I also explored some more shops in town including a hardware/electrical store and a little shop with scads of cheap items from China. Fun!
Watch for the birds tomorrow.
A Tragedy in Paradise – While Life Goes On . . .
We received a huge shock this morning. Phons von der Bom, from Holland, the owner of these apartments, Hacienda La Jacaranda, living in the big house on the property was found yesterday by the grounds keeper dead in his big house of an apparent suicide. Police were here most of the day they said, while I was at church and the potluck lunch. He was quite depressed from the death of his wife to cancer followed quickly by the death of his father in Holland and missing his children who are now back in Holland. The holidays were especially depressing and lonely for him and he was drinking heavily. I had not seen him in a week or more. Some have said he is an alcoholic. Regardless of all the reasons, it is so very sad when someone takes their life. Rudy, the caretaker, and Patricia, the secretary or practically the manager are devastated and of course don’t know what will happen. I saw two men who looked like business men or lawyers in the office with another woman today. She might be the daughter who I think was already scheduled to arrive today. And of course those of us who are renters could be in limbo for awhile, expecting that the place will be sold. For us, that could be the silver lining to another cloud, since Phons was the reason for poor management and maintenance. So we who live here are both sad and hopeful for better management – but have no idea of what will happen now. Your prayers appreciated.
For a happier note, I photographed my bowl of cereal with pasas y manzas (raisins & apples) which I topped off with a banana and strawberries – much like my breakfasts back in the states.
 |
| Breakfast Today |
This was followed by a cup of green tea and receipt of the bad news about Phons’ suicide. Then I walked to town with Camella to Su Espacio for my first Spanish Class and her signing up for Zumba. The class was an excellent beginning with 11 students for the young enthusiastic teacher David – pronounced “Day-Veed” here. He is going to try and split our class for more personal assistance. We will know by Wednesday, which is the second of the two days a week class. Then I walked around town exploring again and had an early lunch at La Caretta, desiring some Gallo Pinto, Costa Rica’s special black beans and rice with onions and peppers. Been here nearly two weeks and had none! They only served it with breakfast, so I had Gallo Pinto con huevo y bacon (with eggs & bacon.) While eating, my neighbor Jean Pierre showed up without his wife Elizabeth and joined me at my table. He had a steak! While I added Tres Leches y cafe negro. Another pleasant morning in Atenas except for the Phons shocker! I walked home via Coope for a few grocery items and there ran into one of the ladies from church. It is beginning to feel like home!
You possibly saw the latest thing going around on Facebook about Costa Rica as the Happiest Place on Earth or in the top 2 or 3 or 93% depending on which survey. One of the writers for Tico Times gives her take on it with a nod to the MacGyver TV show which I don’t think I ever saw. It is titled: The real secret of the world’s happiest country: grapes and MacGyver . All this relaxed, easy-going happiness is in addition to living in the town with the “Perfect Climate.” It is always nice to have your decisions confirmed by other people and research! 🙂
Living the Pura Vida in Costa Rica! -Carlitos
My Apartment
 |
| Front Door Detail |
I’m in a first floor apartment for now, but hope to be on third floor in less than a month. It is late and I will talk more about the apartments later. Like everything there is some good and some bad, but overall this is the best starting apartment one could possibly find and the whole building is less than two years old. I feel fortunate. For those who want to see the whole apartment, room by room, here’s the APARTMENT PHOTOS GALLERY link in my regular PBase Gallery.
And to see more of the complex, see the Hacienda La Jacaranda Website
And it is not as expensive as it looks! Nor is it perfect! But I’m happy with my choice!
 |
| I’m in lower right now, plan to be in that upper left top apt. |
I’m Here!
 |
| View out my front window. |
I arrived sick which is unusual for me. Cleaning out my cottage at McKendree stirred up a lot of dust which is one of my worst allergies. Sore throat and coughing on the plane trip which was otherwise uneventful! Once here yesterday I starting opening bags, took the 8 minute walk to the Super Mercado for some basics like cereal for breakfast. Came back and went to bed at 6:30 PM and slept until about 6:00 the next morning, gently waking to the songs of tropical birds and the view above from my front window/door. I sipped hot tea watching the hills opposite ours.
Today I went back to the nearest Super Mercado which is a Farmer’s Cooperative that includes a little cafe. For lunch I had a ham & cheese sandwich because that was the only thing I knew how to order in Spanish. 🙂 This afternoon I did a load of laundry and had to use my Spanish English Dictionary to read all the dials on the washing machine.
The coughing and sore throat is mainly gone now, but my nose won’t quit running. So maybe another long night’s rest will help that too! At least all my bags are unpacked! But nothing exciting to report. Unless you call finding a millipede in my shower exciting! And everybody is celebrating Christmas until January 5 which may be when I start taking care of business. It is rest time for a week or so.
 |
| Millipede looking for water in the bathroom. |
A Few Steps Closer
 |
| Phons sent me his photo of one of my future neighbors, an iguana. Hope I get photos this good! I think he and I will get along fine! |
I’ve made the deposit and it is confirmed that I will be moving into an apartment at Hacienda La Jacaranda in Atenas, Costa Rica the end of December. It is run by a lovely Dutch couple and he, Phons von der Bom, has been corresponding with me and sent the above photo plus one of a butterfly earlier. If you zoom in on a Google Map of Atenas enough you can find the name of the apartments on the map, just north of downtown within about 8 blocks of the Central Plaza and a Super Mercado and of course the weekly Farmers’ Market every Friday. And the Map Link above includes a map pin for Helados POPS, the best ice cream in Costa Rica and some of the best I’ve ever eaten. I had my first Fig Ice Cream there!
Birth Certificate has been returned with an Apostille on it, thus one more document ready for the residency application. I earlier printed out my filing with the U.S. Embassy (State Department) of my intentions called a “Smart Traveler Enrollment Program” which Jose wanted on file. But I am still waiting on a letter from Social Security proving a minimum income for residency. Even though the last guy I talked with said he would do it right then, I really expected it to take a while. I just called our Metro Police Department and for the “police report” Costa Rica is asking for on me, they say they call it a “Background Check.” I simply go downtown to the Criminal Justice Building to the Records Window and for $13 they will provide one while I wait. So maybe tomorrow. When that is done, I will only lack the Social Security letter.
And the next step soon is to order my one-way airline ticket to San Jose, Costa Rica and I’m hoping I have enough air miles for it and they have space on their planes for an air miles ticket! If not, one way should cost less than round trip. Then the main job is to clean out this house, decide what to take, what to store, and what to sell or give away – the biggest job of all!