Pura Vida: Essential Costa Rica, a 2 minute video I liked
http://matadornetwork.com/tv/pura-vida-essential-costa-rica/
Making Pura Vida Lemonade Today!
“Pura vida!” is as much an attitude, philosophy, or spirit as it is a slogan for Costa Rica basically meaning “Pure Life.”
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest sourness or difficulty in life, while lemonade is a sweet drink. ~Wikipedia
This optimistic, can-do attitude is so typical of Costa Rica, making the Pura Vida slogan appropriate. Well, I’m pleased with my spirit of Pura Vida today when some things didn’t go as planned for me.
LEMONADE FROM LAST NIGHT’S PROBLEM
Blurb had a 40% discount on photo books with a deadline of midnight last night. I tried repeatedly last night to upload my Nicaragua trip photo book and it never would work, possibly because too many other people were doing the same thing. I emailed their help center and said to myself it is not meant to be if it doesn’t work. Don’t fret about it! Went to bed! This morning I had an email response from Blurb with one link that got my book quickly uploaded and with an extension of the discount! By not getting angry at technology again (easy to do) I avoided stress and still got my book ordered. See the separate book post below.
TODAY’S MAIN SCHEDULE LEMONADE
My doctor appointment for a week ago today got postponed until today at 1:00. I decided to go early for lunch in the city and took the 10:30 bus from Atenas. As the bus approached the city my phone rang and it was the doc’s assistant saying she needed to push my appointment up to 3:00 if I could make it. I groaned and said I was on the bus coming into town now. She paused, apologized and said “let’s make it at 2:00 then, but she could be running late and there is another appointment at 2:00.” I thanked her and hung up before sighing. But decided to make the best of it and maybe further explore Sabana Park which is like New York’s Central Park.
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| Museo de Arte Costarricense |
After getting there and walking across the park and eating an early lunch, I still had two hours to kill and suddenly saw in the park Museo de Arte Costarricense or the Museum of Costa Rican Art. I spent more than an hour there and could have spent much more time in a beautiful museum in the park full of art by Ticos. That was so much better than getting angry or hurt because of the inconvenience of a delayed appointment! I had a 4 km walk to the doctor office (and walking helps the spirit too!). All is well with my heart and my foot/leg. When my foot swells again I will simply take 10 minutes to prop it up higher than my heart to relieve the weak veins in that leg, plus I will regularly massage the leg with a lotion which will strengthen them. She also wants me to stay on Baby Aspirin and Concor, a beta blocker, to help control my arrhythmia (plus the med helps me sleep better!). So that is it. A good report!
RETURN TRIP LEMONADE
Friday afternoon is the absolutely worst traffic of the week in San Jose and going west toward the beach (Atenas is west) is the worst, meaning the 45 minute bus ride becomes an 1:45 bus ride on Friday afternoon going back to Atenas. Again I could grumble, curse, be angry and make myself sick. But I chose to read from the Kindle App on my phone until a sun glare stopped that and then I had a needed nap while listening to the bus driver’s Spanish Music radio station (which is suppose to help me learn Spanish). So now I’m ending my busy day without stress or anger and in a happy mood! A very good day! And while I was typing this I listen to Spanish music from some fiesta downtown with beautiful marimba music now. You do know that all of my windows stay open all the time?
Today’s Nature Photos
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| Blue-crowned Motmot At the Monteverde Butterfly Garden, Monteverde, Costa Rica |
I had narrowed them down to 8 photos to share and the internet connection here just could not handle it, so I will share some butterflies and a sunset vista from my cabin grounds after I am home with more upload ability. I’m in the boonies this weekend! But one thing I can share indirectly. I emailed my photo of an unknown brown, blue & orange butterfly to them. They identified the unusual butterfly using a Costa Rica University book. It is in English a Blue-winged Euyrbia, one of the lycisca butterflies found only between Mexico and Ecuador. So glad of that! Click the linked name above for my photo gallery image of it. Or a very brief article on Wikipedia.
Triquitraque or Flamevine Finally Blooming
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| Finally my concrete wall made pretty! Triquitraque or Flamevine |
The triquitraque or flamevine I had planted 7 months ago started out with a burst of growth and then just quit and never bloomed much. So Jean-Luc suggested I feed them since the construction site soil was not particularly rich and I thus added a fertilizer, sort of a 12-12-12 from the La Coope Farm Store. Wow! what a difference it made! They grew and got greener and are now just starting to bloom. I think there will be more, but I’m sharing what I have now and I’m pleased! It kind of makes up for the Porterweed not blooming now. Both attract hummingbirds.
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| From above the flamevine contrasts nicely with the blue plumbago below. I love it when a plan comes together! 🙂 |
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| And just in time for the visit here by Reagan Frazier from Nashville. Photographed here on his camera on my terrace overlooking Atenas. |
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| Thanks to Reagan for snapping this photo of me at the San Jose Airport! I promise to give a warm welcome to anyone who comes to visit. Pura Vida! |
Reagan arrived yesterday afternoon and today we took it easy, walking around Atenas Central a little and eating a typical Tico lunch or “Casado.” Tomorrow we start with a Tico Breakfast with a beautiful view at Casita del Cafe and then drive to Poas Volcano and the La Paz waterfalls so he can feel like a real tourist! 🙂 Follow Reagan’s Blog for his view of the visit here!
Black-cowled Oriole
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| Black-cowled Oriole Inside my house on a screen |
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| Black-cowled Oriole Inside my house as seen from outside before I opened the screen. He flew away, probably fearful of houses now. |
During the day when at home I leave the garden door without a screen open and the sliding glass doors and screens to the terrace open, thus easy for wildlife to sometimes explore inside. 🙂
When this happens I open all the other screens and then try to open the one he is on. As is often the case, when I started sliding this one (from the outside) he flew the other way out another window and up into a tree! I leave nothing fully open at night. Had a bat once and trying to avoid that if I can.
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| From Charlie! Retired in Costa Rica! |
See my Costa Rica Birds Photo Gallery with 156 species I’ve photographed in Costa Rica so far! And with about 900 species of birds here, I have a ways to go! 🙂
A People Day
And not a single photo of all the neat people I related to today!
I waved goodbye to my neighbors Don & Judy and the landlord’s gardener Javier as I walked out our compound gate for my Spanish Class at Su Espacio. Then “Buenas Dias” to Luis, the guard at our Roca Verde gate. It is my habit to say just “Buenos” (the new, younger greeting) to everyone I meet on the sidewalk walking to town. If someone refuses to make eye contact, then they don’t want to be spoken to, so I don’t force them! 🙂
I greet the shop keepers around the Su Espacio Community Center and whoever is already in the center, except the exercise class which is very busy! Everyone here is so nice and friendly and we all greet and visit at first. The two hours of Spanish with an hour and a half just talking in Spanish which is what I need the most to learn the language! After class I visit with another student a bit and then head for the post office to wait in line to get postage on a letter to the states.
I mailed my request for U.S. Voter Registration to Nashville as a citizen living out of the country. I’m only allowed to vote in national elections, which is mainly the presidential election every 4 years. To vote for mayor or governor you have to actually live in the city or state. Makes sense! My national election vote is counted among the “Absentee Voting” and I read somewhere that they only count those if the election is very close and it could make a difference. But I like doing my duty!
While waiting in line at the “Correos” (Post Office) I see the business associate from my old apartments, Hacienda La Jacaranda with the new manager. We talk for 5 to 7 minutes in Spanish no less! I’m so proud of myself! The new manager wants some of my photos to possibly use in promotion or marketing of the apartments. I will gladly provide them gratis. I really want that place to succeed! It has so much potential. Then after talking to the two ladies I got acquainted with a nice guy behind me in line who speaks fluent Spanish and English and he chose to use English mostly with me.
From there to Coopeatenas, my supermercado, for about 4 items and a visit in the produce section with Carol, a former Spanish student who may come back. She is from Inglaterra (England) and just got back from a business trip back there. We talked in Spanglish! 🙂
By then it was late enough for lunch and as I was headed toward La Carreta I bumped into Jason, a local Tico young man who helps in Su Espacio Spanish and English classes, for conversation and tutoring. I offered to treat him to lunch for some Spanish practice (meaning we only talk in Spanish) and we did, mostly! Soon after we sat down Corinna and Nicole came in for lunch but they did not sit with us because they were using this time for Nicole to work on a jigsaw puzzle (he’s the 6 year old son). So they were at the next table. Then one of my first Tica friends in Costa Rica, Anna, came in with an American friend and tenant in one of her houses and did sit with us. The 80 year old friend just moved here from the states and speaks no Spanish, so English took over again with a few exceptions with Jason and Anna. Wow! A big day already and then it started raining (Hallelujah!). After lunch I walked Jason home under my sombrilla (umbrella) and then on home myself. We are going to start getting together more to just talk in Spanish. His cousin sells good wood fire oven pizza and I’ll have him over for pizza one night and talk in Spanish. Whew! Hey! It is really hard work for me to carry on a conversation in Spanish! 🙂
I’ve been home the rest of the day and still greatly enjoy being “Home Alone” but also enjoyed the many encounters with friends today and much of it in Spanish! The best Spanish Class is talking with live people in Spanish! It is one of my goals! Pura Vida!
Pura Vida Gardens
After checking in my jungle hotel Thursday, I drove 6 km up the dirt road to a beautiful garden:
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| Gardens carved out of the rainforest, overlooking the Pacific Ocean and threatening rain, near my hotel on a dirt road buena vista |
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| Miles of paved or maintained trails with every tropical plant imaginable! sendero del jardín |
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| You know you are still in the jungle! Technically it is the last remaining “Transitional Rainforest” in the Americas, transitioning from the dry forests of Guanacaste and the montane forests near Atenas to the lowland rainforests. selva de transición |
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| What I hope my “Maraca Plant” will look like in a year or two! Also called “Shampoo Ginger” or in Spanish plantas jengibre But local Ticos call it the Maraca Plant which is the name I’m using. |
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| And hoping I get several blooms like this next year! flores jengibre |
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| Many unknown to me flowers like this and too many to show here! Desconocido para mí |
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| A Water Hyacinth like we had in The Gambia Eichhornia crassipes |
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| One of the many Heliconias like I have in my yard My blooms are dying out now and will return in the dry season I’ve been told. Heliconia L. es un género que agrupa más de 100 especies de plantas tropicales |
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| On the edge of Carara National Park just like my hotel grounds. Tomorrow’s post! Parque Nacional Carara |
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| And a view of Manantial de Agua Viva Waterfalls, one of tallest in Costa Rica. I was going to hike to bottom, but decided safer to not do it solo! Maybe later! |
The Pura Vida Gardens website with short video clip: http://www.puravidagarden.com/
Beauty surrounds us, but usually we need to be walking in a garden to know it.
~Rumi
Life is Short and Life is Long, But Not in That Order! PURA VIDA!
Why time really does seem to go faster when you get older is an interesting article about the
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| “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” ~Henry David Thoreau |
logarithm of time perception over the years. Hopefully this link to the Washington Post article will work if not a subscriber. Don’t miss the cool video clip in the article! And yes, time seems to be flying by for me here in Costa Rica! Been here 7 months today and I never look back! Loving life here! And the Tico people!
I’m also learning to live in the moment more (like we did as little kids) and enjoying the simple things of life like a tropical rain or a butterfly flitting over my balcony. While still anticipating new adventures, like the three day trip next week to the Carara National Park to hopefully photograph Scarlet Macaws, yet knowing there will be a serendipity of some kind, with or without a macaw! Pura vida!
Pura vida. Pronounced POO-rah VEE-dah, in English means, “Pure Life”. However, these two words have much more meaning throughout the Costa Rican culture.
But where did Costa Ricans take this phrase from? According to a study of the expression, a film called Pura vida came to Costa Rica from Mexico in 1956, directed by Gilberto Martinez Solares. In the movie, “Pura vida” is the expression of eternal optimism used by a comic character, played by the actor Antonio Espino, who unfortunately can’t seem to do anything right. While a small population used it then, the phrase “Pura vida” was used nationwide by 1970.
Associated with many different English interpretations like “pure life”, “take it easy”, “enjoy life”, “all good”, “purity in life”, “hello”, “goodbye”, “this is life!” and many many more. The point is that foreigners truly don’t have a true grasp of the meaning of “pura vida” as they are not Costa Ricans themselves.
Pura vida! Means that no matter what your current situation is, life for someone else can always be less fortunate than your own. So you need to consider that maybe…just maybe, your situation isn’t all that bad and that no matter how little or how much you have in life, we are all here together and life is short…so start living it “pura vida style”.
Beginning to understand now, the true meaning of the uniquely Costa Rican term, “Pura Vida”? We feel that the more “foreigners” who truly grasp the concept, the better the world would be. Imagine if countries like the USA or Canada or in Europe started to live life like the Costa Ricans and adopted the pura vida lifestyle? Because honestly folks…no matter how much of a mess your life may seem, there is always someone else who’s life would make yours look like a vacation in paradise.
Pura vida description copied from: http://www.bestcostaricantours.com/about/puravida.html
I am not necessarily recommending this travel agent and have not personally experienced them yet, but like I their description of Pura Vida better than others I found! 🙂 I do plan to try them for one of my future adventures because I like their approach to nature tours.
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come.
We have only today. Let us begin.”
― Mother Teresa
My Nature Garden Photo Book
Mi Pura Vida Naturaleza Jardín by Charlie Doggett | Make Your Own Book
You can thumb through it electronically for free! My very first book in Spanish! 🙂 Be sure to click the “Full Screen” button bottom right.
2 Garden Additions Today
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| A stone-looking concrete bench (banca) by my garden door facing the garden. I hide garden shoes under it, can sit and watch the butterflies (mariposas), humming birds (colibríes), and toads (sapos). Sorry! Working on my vocabulario. 🙂 |
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| Also got a pot to match two others I have and planted a cluster of little palms that will grow twice that high with nice looking palm fronds. |
Night photos because I just thought to make them! 🙂 On cell phone of course! You are welcome to come sit on my garden bench or balcony rocking chairs (sillas mecedora) any time! Pura Vida!