Julie And Rick In Costa Rica

The Fast Lane

2011-08-15T18:33:00.000-06:00

When things happen, they sure can happen FAST! This time last week, I was thinking through my options for the next few weeks, considering taking another intensive French class, Tango lessons, painting more, and investigating possible contracts. Then, my first-choice activity, a contract to work for a few months, seemed to be more definite. Then, it was! And things started hopping :-)

August:

10 Wednesday: The contract looked promising; reserved airline ticket, good for 24 hrs (got the last non-red-eye flight)
11 Thursday: We reached an agreement; the new company started the ball rolling; I bought the airline ticket
12 Friday: The contracting agency contacted me and sent forms; I started collecting info
13 Saturday: I filled in and printed forms; went out to dinner to celebrate :-)
14 Sunday: Completed/confirmed forms, faxed to contracting agency (17 pages!)
15 Monday: Confirmed contracting agency received documents; asked follow-up questions, completed application
16 Tuesday: Breathe, pack, take final Tango lesson :-(
17 Wednesday: Fly to California
18 Thursday: Take drug test
19 Friday: Test results known (earliest possible date)
20 Saturday: Visit, pack
21 Sunday through Wednesday: Drive to Iowa (3,000 kilometers)
25 Thursday: Start work

Yeah, it's a little complicated...

What Do You Want From Life?

2011-08-14T17:10:00.000-06:00

Well, ok - that sounds a little more "inspirational" than I expected. But it is a fundamental question.

When we first decided to move to Costa Rica, we put together a plan for *how* to do it, but for my part, I purposely left the "what" part vague. I knew it would take a few years to figure out life here, and I wanted to give that a chance without being sidetracked by "things I said I gotta do."

When you are first finding out how something works, even the negatives can be viewed as valuable learning experiences. Take the feria, for example. Your first trips are full of excitement - you see how to get there (follow the empty carts), you watch for cultural norms (everyone calls you "reina"), and you discover pricing and quality differences. You're exhausted because you meander and buy too much, but that is easy to ignore when you think of how to use these newly discovered foods. After a while, you know who to go to for the best broccoli, and you spend more time chit-chatting, and less time comparison shopping.

But shortly after you become comfortable with something, it's no longer exciting. You know enough about how to do it that you aren't challenged. It can become boring, and even perhaps an irritating chore. If too many of your activities make that turn, your life is in trouble.

Now, after several years, most of my daily life is in that "comfort zone." I've weeded out a few items that were heading towards the "irritating chore" category, but I find I'm searching for excitement, for a challenge, for a new purpose.

In my search for "different," I don't want to lose sight of our original purpose - find a way to spend more time together. Secondarily, we wanted to give ourselves the opportunity to experience... whatever strikes us! To find out what else might interest us, and delve in! What I *have* discovered is that I enjoy so many things, and each new activity builds a skill. There are also aspects that are just plain hard and frustrating, but ultimately rewarding. I am finding out more about myself. One thing that I pretty much knew, but which was made obvious to me is that I very much enjoy engineering - the work, the problem-solving, the pure focus, the geek-jokes, and the community.

I thought about working here in Costa Rica, and maybe that will be something in my future. But I know that if I did that, a lot of things would have to change. It would impact my life here, and not all for the better. When I pick up a painting from the framers, and it takes me an entire hour to do so, I have to wonder how in the world working Ticos survive! I see the long line of people waiting for the bus to work at 4:30 in the morning, and I don't even have to wonder for a second if I would want to do that (that would be "no!"). It simply takes a lot longer to do anything here. When you aren't working full-time, you can usually deal with that. So, if I did work here, it would have to be part-time. The intriguing aspect of working here would be that I would see a whole different side of the culture. I got a hint of that by taking classes, and it would be interesting to experience more. So, for now, I won't toss the idea completely aside.

What I have decided to do is to keep Costa Rica as a home base, mix in some travel to explore more of the world, but take contracts for software engineering elsewhere. I think this will keep my Costa Rica life pleasant and relaxing, with plenty of time to explore the "other" life, and still provide the excitement and challenge (in manageable bursts) of work. No one can predict the future, but this is a plan I can enjoy following :-)

Back to Painting :-)

2011-08-13T22:55:00.000-06:00

I finally finished a couple more paintings, and got them back from the framers - I've branched out to abstracts

and non-tropical flowers

Tango Lessons!

2011-08-13T22:33:00.000-06:00

We finally did it! After nearly 20 years of thinking about, wishing for, and putting off taking tango lessons together, we finally went!

Last Tuesday evening, Rick and I learned the "basic 8" along with a little variation. Class was at the Alliance Française (French), in San José, Costa Rica (Tico Spanish), taught by Oscar Lopez Salaberry (Argentina). We did all right, and had fun! Even if we didn't have the right shoes...

To see what we danced like, click here :-)

Art City Tour

2011-08-11T10:58:00.089-06:00

San Jose has an ART blow-out every couple of months, called the Art City Tour - on a Wednesday evening, from 5 to 9, museums and art galleries are open to the public (free entry!). In addition, the GAM puts together several routes that folks can follow. They organize tours by bus, by bicycles, or on foot, with helpful people on hand to answer questions and relieve anxiety :-).

We kept missing these tours, until (yay!) this last one - we met some friends downtown, and we all trooped around gawking at art and museum exhibits. We signed up in advance for one of the bus tours - SIX stops in FOUR hours! It turned out that it is much looser than I expected - people were changing routes, bus-hopping, and generally playing everything by ear. The buses leave each venue every 10 minutes, and are easy to find. You can stay on the bus if you want to skip a gallery, and you can walk between different places, change the order, go to a museum that is not on your original route... It's a free-for-all! And a lot of fun! (and exhausting!)

We ended up walking between a couple of places, then skipping a couple. We'll definitely go back for a longer look at the National Museum.

We saw a fun dance exhibit at the Alliance Française - especially interesting was the one man dancing with two women - one woman was blindfolded. It was a very interesting way to tell a story, as well as exciting to watch as a dance.

As we walked between a few other venues, we overlapped the bike route - there were probably two dozen bicyclists, and they just took over Avenida 7. It reminded me a bit of the Critical Mass rides in San Francisco.

When we go again (and we will), here's what I would do:
- still sign up for a bus route, but just not worry about sticking to it. I think signing up in advance helps the organizers, but it's not critical to follow it to the letter.
- bring snacks (and not just candy) and water
- expect to drop out here and there, and take a load off; "museum strolling" is hard on your feet and back!
- don't worry about seeing *everything* in the museum; expect to return another time
- leave behind any anxiety about following a plan, and just go with the flow!

Changes at the Clinic

2011-08-08T12:38:00.000-06:00

One thing about living here, you come to expect changes. And sure enough, the procedures at the clinic (EBAIS) have changed again :-).

I had gone to my clinic in May for my regular blood tests, and had been putting off going back to find out the results. Mainly, because I am (still) not a morning person, and any trip to the EBAIS means leaving the house by about 6 a.m. Honestly, who can even think that early in the day?!? Well, I made it this morning (sorta - I didn't actually leave the house until quarter after 6). I got there after the crowd had already gotten their numbers (they open the doors at 6:30), but they hadn't run out of spaces.

About a year ago, they shut down a neighboring clinic, and so my clinic absorbed all those patients. They modified the procedures then to have two sets of numbers - when you first came into the clinic, you would grab a number (from the right stack), then wait for them to call it. Then you showed your carnet (like an insurance card) and ID, and got an assigned time for your appointment later in the morning. This was sometimes enough time to go back home, go get some breakfast, or just sit there and read or chat with your neighbors. When it was time for your appointment, the nurse would call your name, take down your information, take your weight, blood pressure, etc., then send you to the doctor. On your way out, you dropped off your records, got any prescription slips or follow-up appointments, and you were done!

Now (don't ask me why), the procedures have changed again. You no longer get an appointment time - everyone gets "7:00 a.m." (even if your number comes up after 7). And, everyone first sees the nurse, then goes back out and waits for another call to see the doctor. The effect of this is (1) a lot of confusion (2) irritable clinic office workers and (3) missed reading opportunities (the latter is especially tragic!).

My first hint of confusion was when people kept going back to the office window. Then, when it was my turn, I fully expected "the usual" - I would present my carnet, and get an appointment. But the clerk asked if I *had* an appointment for 7 a.m. I thought "huh? it's after 7, and I'm here to *get* an appointment!" And, of course, I had no clue what to actually say to her. Finally, people took pity on me - another patient explained, and another clerk made my appointment (for 7 - LOL). Everyone kept saying they would call me soon (and they did, but I suspect they were awfully tired of saying that to everyone). Several of the times that I was waiting to be called, I sat next to a lovely lady who was a retired English teacher. She said that *everyone* is confused by the new system. And proof came soon enough - she didn't hear her number called, and so missed her place in line, and had to get a new number, waiting even longer. There was not a single time while waiting that you could relax and simply wait without listening with great anxiety for either your number or your name.

All told, people now "wait" 5 times:
- wait in line for the door to open (the only time it is safe to read)
- wait for your number to be called
- wait for your name to be called to see the nurse
- wait to see the doctor
- wait to get your prescription slip or follow-up appointment

Ultimately, I was done by 8 a.m., so I really don't know if this new system is faster per patient, or if I just got lucky.

But the good news? All my test results are *great!*

Blackened Tilapia and Zucchini with Coconut Onion Garlic Rice

2011-08-01T19:29:00.000-06:00

Rick had a nice idea for dinner tonight! I have a long-standing favorite recipe for Spiced Zucchini that I like for a side dish (especially good with an all-out baked chicken dinner), and I had mentioned that a friend had recently cooked blackened Tilapia. He put the two together, and said "how 'bout Blackened Tilapia with your zucchini spices?"

And a star was born...

Spiced Zucchini
Slice (and optionally lightly salt) 3-4 zucchini – set aside
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat
Sprinkle over the hot oil (each should bubble slightly when added):
- ground coriander / cumin
- ground cloves
- cinnamon
- ginger
- nutmeg
Add the zucchini.
Sprinkle with cayenne, stir to coat the zucchini with oil, and cover.
Let the bottom zucchini brown, then turn. Cook until almost soft.
Serve immediately.

Blackened Tilapia
Follow the recipe for Spiced Zucchini above, but add one filet of Tilapia at the same time as the zucchini (I also reduced the amount of zucchini by 1/2).

Coconut Onion Garlic Rice
- slice one large onion into half-moons
- roughly chop 3 cloves of garlic
- toss in a small pan with 2 Tablespoons of butter and cook on high, with the lid on (stirring occasionally) until the onion is transparent and a little browned.
- turn down to medium/low heat and add 1 cup of leftover coconut rice
- stir occasionally until warmed through

Coconut Rice
In a covered pot, mix:
- 1 part dry rice
- 1 part coconut milk
- 1 part water
- 1 stick cinnamon
- salt and oil to taste
Bring to a boil, stir, then turn heat to almost off. Cook with the lid on for 20 minutes, then turn off heat. Stir before serving.

The above combination made a very nice dinner for two :-)

Mini-Tour of San José

2011-07-25T20:31:00.000-06:00

Sometimes, you can go years knowing people electronically, and never meet them in person. Well, this morning, I met an e-friend in downtown San José - in person! She was on her way through town, so we met at one bus station, and ended at another. In between, we meandered around downtown, and ended up seeing a number of parks - and closed museums :-(. Holidays are usually fun in Costa Rica, but a drawback is that a lot of places are closed (and buses often run on a Sunday schedule). Today, Guanacaste Day, was a holiday. And a Monday. And San José was *quiet!*

I was amazed at how much I had forgotten! What was the history of the metal school? Who is that and what represents which country on the national monument? sigh. Fortunately, detailed information is available with a click of the mouse.

I've been having fun with Google maps lately, so you can see where we walked :-)

View Mini-Park-Tour San Jose Costa Rica in a larger map

Home Cookin'

2011-07-16T20:49:00.000-06:00

Unbelievable! We've been home from France for 4 weeks, and we finally went out to lunch! I don't think I've had so many meals in a row at home in... well, ever!

I think part of it is that we were on the road so much for so long - four weeks of travel, and I only cooked twice. We were constantly on the move (for us, that is - I know plenty of folks who stay one short night in each place and move on early). When we finally got home, we sort of dug in :-).

Another part is that it is rainy season, perfect bundle-up-and-stay-at-home weather.

The other part is that I don't have very much pulling me away from home. I don't have French or Spanish class this session, and I work from home. I did go for art day (yay!), but that doesn't involve restaurants at all. My only reason I absolutely have for leaving the house is to get groceries.

Time to get back into my walking routine - go out for a walk, then decide where to go :-D.

Strawberry Chicken Stir Fry

2011-07-04T17:02:00.000-06:00

Strawberry Chicken serves 2 - 3 as a main course, or 3 - 4 as part of a multicourse meal. Modified for what is available in Costa Rica.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound chicken breast, cut into pieces

12 - 15 fresh strawberries, washed and hulled, and cut into quarters

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

Marinade:

* 1 tablespoon soy sauce

* 1 tablespoon white wine

* 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Sauce:

* 1/4 cup water

* 1 tablespoon orange juice

* 1 teaspoon limon juice

* 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or splenda

* 1 teaspoon cornstarch

* 2 or 4 teaspoons water, as desired

PREPARATION:

Marinate the chicken for 15 minutes.
Mix the sauce in a small bowl – use a lid and shake well to dissolve the cornstarch. Set aside.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add oil. When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry about 10 seconds, then add the chicken. Let the chicken brown for about 30 seconds, then stir-fry the chicken until nearly cooked. Move to edge of pan.
Add the strawberries. Stir-fry briefly (about 30 seconds), give the sauce a quick stir and add into the pan, stirring quickly to thicken.
Serve immediately. Good over rice, with green beans (can add to partly-cooked chicken).

Creamy Orange Tilapia

2011-06-27T12:40:00.000-06:00

I felt a little inspired by my trip to France, and really missed being able to cook!

Creamy Orange Tilapia

In a pan (with a lid), cook a few minutes on high heat, stirring occasionally:
- soy oil
- butter
- one onion, chopped
- one zucchini, chopped
- ginger
- basil
- cayenne pepper
- nutmeg

When onions are transparent, reduce heat and add
- one filet of Tilapia
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Marmalade

Cook approximately 7 minutes, flipping Tilapia part way through.

Stir in 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream, and serve over rice.

'Cause That's My Bag

2011-06-22T12:11:00.002-06:00

I had been using an old "swag" bag more and more here. The bag was the perfect size and weight for all sorts of things: it fit my school books, I could easily add some shopping to the end of my day, it was a great over-night bag, and it even fit my art supplies without crumpling them! But, it wasn't the prettiest thing :-) and one of the straps was safety-pinned on.

So, I decided the time had come to replace it. I got a half meter of heavy drape material at Yamuni, and started sewing. I ended up adding a few frills - now I just have to get used to the idea that I can abuse this bag too, even though it is quite a bit prettier :-D.

This version has a button-down flap (adjustable to a second button you can't see at the top), an umbrella-holder on the right side (also handy for other items I want to keep separate and easy to access), two inside pockets, and adjustable straps with quick-release clips. I used nearly every bit of the 1/2 meter of cloth.

Directions:

Straighten and fold the material, making the fold become the bottom of the bag.

cut the main bag piece 24" long x 17 3/4" wide.
cut 2 straps 4" x 32"
cut 1 flap 5" x 10 1/2"
cut 1 pocket 5" x 10 1/2"

Overcast all edges
Sew the sides of the bag, leaving gaps for the umbrella-holder:

5 inches from the top, stitch around a sturdy elastic hairband
5 inches below that, stitch around 2 gaps, leaving space for a long shoelace
Note: use a satin stitch around the gaps for strength

Form the bottom of the bag: fold the bottom of the side seam into a triangle, so that the end of the seam forms the tip. Each side is 2 3/4" - Stitch perpendicular* to the side-seam. Repeat on the other side.
Sew the straps:

fold one long edge 1/2 inch and stitch
add batting if desired, but only to the center section of the strap (not the ends, since this will make them too thick)
fold the other long edge to abut the first edge and stitch
fold the long edges together and stitch

Form the top of the bag and attach straps:

place the straps 5 inches in from the sides
fold the top edge of the bag under and stitch, securing the straps in place*
fold the top edge of the bag 1 inch and stitch
topstitch along the top edge, again including the straps
stitch an "X" at each strap to further secure it to the top of the bag

Add the pockets

fold under all edges of the pocket material and stitch.
determine where you want them - I put mine at the top edge, mostly along the back of the bag, but also opposite the umbrella holder, straddling the side seam a bit. I wanted easy access for my phone and change purse, and that is the side that will be handiest for me.
topstitch pocket to the bag around 3 sides (leaving top open, of course).
stitch a separator up the middle to form two pockets - you can vary the size

Add the flap

fold under all edges of the flap material and stitch - at one end, form a clipped-triangle
make a button hole at the triangle end
center the other end of the flap at the top of the bag (this is now the "back" of the bag) and stitch
sew one button at the fully-closed position, and another at the top of the bag (for when the bag is very full)

Add the clips to the straps (this is why you don't want batting at the ends - the straps will be too thick to fit through the clips)

determine where you want your clips, and cut the straps
overcast each end
pull the strap through the non-adjustable end of the clip and stitch
pull the other end of the strap through the adjustable end of the clip

* Caution - this is a tricky step, so double-check your placement and orientation before stitching

USA Embassy to National Theatre by Bus

2011-06-10T18:16:00.007-06:00

I've had a "bus" request! Someone asked me how to get from the USA Embassy to the National Theatre (and environs), so... here goes!

Across the street from the Embassy, catch the Pavas bus towards downtown San José. Get off on Paseo Colón at the first opportunity. Catch either:
- the Sabana Cementerio (Ruta 1) bus and take it all the way to the Caja, or
- the Sabana Estadio bus and take it to the terminus at the Banco Popular (one block West of the Caja).
Either way, you will be across Avenida 2 (South) from the National Theatre.

If you miss the Paseo Colón stop, and end up at the terminus of the Pavas bus, then simply walk South a block or two to the Paseo Colón and catch the next Sabana bus there. You will be in front of the San Juan de Dios hospital.

Once you are near the National Theatre, you can walk South 3 or 4 blocks to the Super Sony (Asian food store). A block or two on your way, you will pass Casa Alfi on the right.

You can also go West from the National Theatre along the pedestrian walkway to Lehmann's, Universal, and a wide variety of shops and street vendors. There are quite a few places to buy sewing material on the West end of the pedestrian walkway.

If you go East from the National Theatre about 3 blocks, you will see the terminus for the San Pedro buses. North from here is the Parque España, Morazan, and CENAC, as well as the Alliance Français (behind the Holiday Inn). On the street beside the Holiday Inn is Mora's used books.

To return to the Embassy, catch the Sabana Estadio from the Banco Popular. Get off at Parque La Sabana, in front of the ICE office, and switch to the Pavas bus. Make sure to ask the driver if it is in fact going to the USA Embassy (remember, there are a ton of embassies in San José, so make sure you ask for the *USA* embassy :-) ).

Costa Rica Census!

2011-05-30T21:27:00.000-06:00

We've been counted!

The 2011 Census started this week in Costa Rica - it will be going on all week. We had a lovely young woman come to our place and ask us all sorts of questions :-)

Years from now, people will be able to look us up and see what sort of house we lived in, what our education was, and what we did for work. An interesting thing (to me) is that there was no question about nationality. Yes, we said where we were born, but there is no way (from this questionnaire) for people to determine whether someone is a citizen, a resident, or a tourist.

It was an interesting experience; I hadn't participated in a one-on-one census before, not even in the states. It feels a little odd somehow.

Hail!

2011-05-30T20:22:00.000-06:00

We had HAIL this afternoon! In a tropical paradise! In May! What else is there to say, but "weird"...

My Just-Sew Story

2011-05-15T22:18:00.000-06:00

I've decided to get back into sewing a bit - I have my sewing machine here after all! I used to do quite a bit, including prom dresses, and my wedding dress. But all that was in the states, where the art of sewing is managed a bit differently. There, you walk into a store armed with your measurements and some idea of what you want to make. You pour over the pattern catalogs, collect your chosen pattern from the many drawers full, and read the "ingredients" list. Then you browse for the perfect material, and swing by the notions section for matching thread, zippers, lace, and all the trimmings. You take your pile to the counter, they measure out the amount of material stated on your pattern, give you a smidgen extra (although I saw less and less of this as time went on), and you're on your way!

Here, just to get off to a good start, there are no patterns. Already you know it's going to be tough. So, you start with some piece of clothing you have, but would like to change somewhat. I chose a pair of shorts - I wear these almost constantly at home, and they're wearing out here and there. I decided to make a pattern from the "sample" so I would have it for another time - I also think it is easier to modify and double-check measurements with a paper pattern. I found that the paper the grocery store uses to wrap glass wine bottles works pretty well - especially if you've just opened that bottle, and have a glass of it handy. I drew out my pattern, but forgot a seam allowance. I discovered this in time, and so was able to tape an extension on :-). I also discovered that I did *not* in fact have my french curve with me. So I just winged it.

Next, I needed material! I went to my neighborhood Yamuni - a department store that has a nice selection of material. They had a large selection of curtain/drape material, some fleece and toweling, some suiting, and some basic blends. It is very difficult to find cotton or silk, and wool is just not to be dreamt of. Not that I *want* wool in the tropics, but these are things you need to be aware of. Since I have no handy-dandy pattern telling me how much material to get, I'm back to winging it - I get a meter. Turns out it was on sale, so that it cost me all of $1.25...

However! Yamuni has no notions! Here in Costa Rica, they have a type of store called a "pasamanería" - *this* is where you go for all your sewing notions! Not knowing (yet!) where one of these is, and knowing that I have some basic notions in my kit, I feel like I'm in good shape. Can you say "famous last words?"

I got my material washed and straightened, lined up and cut out. Remember those nice instructions included in a pattern? Sew this part first, line up these notches, start in the center, etc. Hah! Fortunately, I remembered a lot. I sewed a few seams, then pinned up the sides, and tried on my pseudo-shorts. Looked good, but I want to adjust a thing or two. In the end, they do the job, but there is an entire list of "oopses:"
- I wanted to use the selvage, but after adjusting the seam allowance, the selvage shows.
- When I clipped the excess material from the inseam, I snagged the leg. Sigh. Now it's patched and zigzagged; doesn't show :-) but I know it's there.
- I added enough to the pockets to account for the waist, but not enough for the stitching - Pockets are now definitely just for looks, since my hand won't quite fit.
- I was careful to keep the embellishment on one side from flipping, but the other side... bent.
- When I measured the sample, the back curved up at the waist. When I put the new shorts together, it didn't really work that way. An easy adjustment to make :-)
- At the leg, the two halves *almost* line up at the hem. Also easy to fix.
- I knew I didn't have enough blue thread for the whole project, so I went with the white thread I had. I got to the final hem, and ran out! Fortunately, I had enough bobbin thread, and I could work it so that it was what showed :-)

Not bad for a prototype...

Law of the Titans

2011-05-06T22:53:00.000-06:00

I had an interesting conversation today about the laws (specifically immigration laws) of Costa Rica. I had noticed that the most recent immigration law, effective March 1, 2010, was published and available to read, and it didn't contain a lot of the rules that the previous law had (e.g., a rentista resident under the old law must spend at least 122 days out of each residency year in Costa Rica in order to maintain this type of residency. But the new law says nothing about a time-in-country requirement.) So, I asked if the new law superseded the old law completely, or if it was additive. It turns out that the answer is not simple!

Costa Rica has three levels of "law" - first, the law is written, passed, and published. Then, the "regulations" are written and published. Then, various "clarifications" are written, but not published (that is, not necessarily available to the public, but issued as a type of memo to the officials involved in enforcing the law and regulations).

However, if the regulations are never published, then the old regulations (governed by the old law) are still in force! In the case of immigration, the last *several* laws had *no* regulations published! This means that the regulations in use are OLD - several version of law changes old! So, to be safe, even though the new (1 year old) immigration law says nothing about a time-in-country requirement, you must still plan on spending 122 days each year in Costa Rica if you are a rentista resident.

This set of rules also governs what is commonly known as the "perpetual tourist" - someone who lives in Costa Rica on a tourist visa. This PT must renew his visa by leaving and re-entering Costa Rica. If this person is a citizen of the USA, the visa is usually for 90 days, but this is entirely up to the border official, who may give less than this. In this case, there is no law against living in Costa Rica as a tourist, and the immigration regulations don't address this. However, there may well be "clarifications" in the form of memos from the director of immigration to the border officials that we simply do not know about. These are the documents that set the tone of the law, and determine what the border official is likely to do.

Keeping up with this would be a nightmare, and I don't envy those who must.

Note: don't use this as any sort of legal defense - I might easily have misunderstood something important. Just be aware that it is not as simple and straight-forward as one would think!

Pineapple Drink

2011-05-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

There I was, cutting up a pineapple (nice and ripe!), when my housekeeper said "don't you use the shell?"

After a few moments of confusion, I finally understood that she was telling me how to make a drink from all that stuff I normally throw away!

Piña con Arroz

Boil in a pot, for approximately 1/2 hour:

approximately 1 liter water
one handful uncooked rice
one stick of cinnamon
all the shell, core, seeds and plugs from one large pineapple (piña)

Using tongs, fish out the cinnamon and pieces of pineapple skin and throw them away. Put the rest in a blender and liquify - some of the core will simply never get chopped up. Add milk if you prefer. For a stronger cinnamon flavor, leave in the cinnamon stick when blending. Pour through a strainer and cool the liquid. Makes about 1 1/2 liters.
Sweeten to taste.
I added some mora juice, because I like the mixture of the two flavors.

The pineapple itself is excellent eaten as is. Or you can chop it up and freeze it for later. Fresh or frozen, it's good cooked in stir-fries, curries, sprinkled over salads, or used as part of a glaze for roasts (especially good with pork or chicken). Note: if your pineapple is ripe enough, you can eat the core right along with the flesh, but this reduces what is available to put in your drink. Either way, enjoy!

Routine without Ruts

2011-05-02T15:02:00.000-06:00

I had a nice little routine going here - some structure, but not so rigid that it was suffocating. But then visitor season hit, followed by major holidays, and some serious and multiple changes to my class schedule (I have to blame something, right?). I found myself a bit rudderless, and didn't really realize what was happening. Then I suddenly saw! And remembered how important it is to have purpose and structure in life. So, I made a little schedule, and a few rules.

The number one rule is: every day, say "where will I walk today?" instead of "do I have to go out for something?"

Supporting rules include basics like get up by 7:00, have a real breakfast, no more than 2 cups of coffee (that one is tough, and may very well go by the wayside), and get ready for bed by 10:00 (but actual sleep time will take care of itself).

Today was the first day of tryouts :-). Rick and I walked to Guadalupe, mainly for the walk, but also to stock up on meat at the butcher. I hadn't been there in a very long time, and never any day but Saturday. Saturday is feria day in Guadalupe, and so I used to combine that with a number of other chores - as did many other folks. And the butcher was **busy!** But on a Monday? Not so much! :-D

Once I started to think about what I could do when I go out, instead of how to accomplish everything efficiently, life got a bit nicer. No more groaning about having to go out to do a bunch of chores, no more over-stuffed shopping cart, no more saying "where did the day go?"

Ghost Town Stay-cation

2011-04-24T23:04:00.000-06:00

Who wouldn't like a stay-cation when you live in Costa Rica? That's what we decided to do this week, Semana Santa, probably the biggest beach-travel week in the country. We spent Monday and Tuesday stocking up, taking care of errands and chores around town. Wednesday, I was all set to enjoy the day at home, when I saw the news report - Thursday and Friday, by law, are *DRY!* That is, absolutely *no* alcohol can be sold on those two days. Having never personally dealt with blue laws (only even heard about them well into adulthood), and often relied on 24-hour supermarkets for "oops we're out, gotta make a beer run" emergencies, this was a bit new. Lickety-split, I took the cart down to the store and piled in the spirits - 'cause, you know, if a day is supposed to be dry, well, ya just gotta drink, right? (I exaggerate just a bit)

But we did while away the weekend in our cave, and it was lovely :-)

What a Week!

2011-04-14T17:44:00.000-06:00

What a week (to miss out on)! Yes, I'm going to whine...

I was not up to snuff this week, and missed out on a *lot!*
Saturday: dragged through class, hopefully absorbed something, but I was certainly not a stellar student.
Sunday: no visiting with friends.
Monday: missed Juan Santamaría Day in Alajuela; parade, festivities, museum events.
Tuesday: chores at home, but did not experiment as planned with a hoped-for butcher delivery.
Wednesday: missed afternoon festivities at UCR, but at least we walked through it on our way to the clinic; *REALLY* missed the Art City Tour! Had planned to meet friends and make a real night of it. Back-up plan was to go to the Alliance Française for a Milonga. Too tired for even that.
Thursday: no painting workshop with friends. At least I can hear some of the music wafting over from UCR while I rest up in my recliner.
Friday: Semana U will still be going on at UCR. Maybe...

Phew! Not Dengue!

2011-04-13T18:57:00.000-06:00

I do not have Dengue!

We had a little scare here this last week - I got sick on Thursday, and by Saturday morning, I had all the classic symptoms of Dengue Fever. Fortunately, ALL in miniature, so not a whole lot of pain or life-derangement :-). I felt well enough to go to class Saturday, although I was not really with it (but no tests, so lucky me!).

By Monday, we had decided that I'd better see a doctor to find out if it really was Dengue. We had read that not everyone has the severe symptoms, so even though mine were minimal and very short, it was still possible. The most important reason to know for sure whether or not I had it, is that the second time someone is exposed to the virus, it can be life-threatening. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is a high risk when someone has the dengue antibodies from a previous bout.

Well, it turns out that the EBAIS is closed on national holidays* (imagine that!), and Monday was Juan SantaMaria Day. We made our trek to the clinic, not really expecting it to be open, but we didn't know for sure (now we do!). We couldn't go Tuesday, so that left today. By the way, each trip to the EBAIS means getting in line somewhere around 6:00 a.m., getting an appointment for later that morning, perhaps returning for tests, etc. Basically, you get up too darned early, and your day is shot. But, you get pretty much everything taken care of all in one day. Today was only slightly different, because dengue is a public health issue, and so the blood test for it is "urgent." So, after my morning doctor's appointment, we went to the urgent laboratory at UCR, got blood drawn, then went to the cafeteria there for brunch. We returned to the clinic for the results. We had a little language mix-up**, and so were two hours late :-| but they fit us in! And... NO DENGUE! Turned out it was a bigger relief than I anticipated! I'll still worry a bit about mosquito bites, but if the bugger is carrying dengue, at least I am back at square one in that progression. Square one is a *good* thing sometimes!

* In case you didn't know, next week is Semana Santa, and Thursday and Friday are national holidays too.

** language mix-ups are no fun! And here's an easy one: 12:30 sounds like "dosayeemedia" and 2:30 sounds like "doseemedia" - say that fast and see what happens... The fix is this - write down the numbers and confirm those with the person giving you the appointment. It's a bit harder to *remember* to do this...

Glazed Ginger Carrots

2011-04-12T21:54:00.000-06:00

Glazed Ginger Carrots

In a small amount of water, cook to desired texture (I like al dente)
- 2 sliced and peeled carrots

Drain off the water, and add:
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 TBS brown sugar
- 2 TBS dried cranberries (available at most AutoMercados)
- 2 TBS chopped candied ginger (available at Super Sony in San José)
- a *very* slight sprinkling of cayenne pepper and cinnamon

Cook an additional minute or two over medium heat, then serve.

Excellent with baked pork loin or chicken.

Norman in Action

2011-04-05T07:26:00.010-06:00

Lunch at Jalapeño's in Alajuela is always a treat! Not only do we get great food, but watching Norman and his crew in action is fun (and informative!).

------ where is it? -------
From the North-East corner of the Cathedral, go North 1 1/2 blocks. It's on the right.
or
Go 1/2 block South from the post office.

Note that all streets inside the Calle Ancha in centro Alajula are one-way streets. This one goes North. Of course, if you're walking, that doesn't really matter :-)

Sometimes a map helps: http://goodlightbooks.com/alajuela/map.html

We're in the Pink

2011-04-04T11:20:00.000-06:00

There's an explosion of pink, and we're right in the middle of it!

And just to balance things out, one non-pink flower:

If I Had a Nickle...

2011-03-29T10:03:00.000-06:00

If I had a nickle for every time I planned to do something in Costa Rica, and didn't, I could retire to a tropical paradise. Hey... Wait a minute!

University of Costa Rica - Getting Plugged In

2011-03-25T22:08:00.000-06:00

This weekend is the UCR Expo, three days of "getting to know your local University!" It's something like a combination of a fiesta, feria, and open house - there are dozens of food and craft booths, sellers of all things Costa Rican, many workshops and information centers, and half a dozen stages presenting music, dancing, martial arts demonstrations, and work-out regimes.

This morning, we strolled the few blocks from our house and wandered around. We had a few things in mind that we wanted to see, but pretty quickly found much more to do. We had walked through the campus many times (it makes a nice short-cut to many places we go), but hadn't really stopped to find out more than a smattering of what was there. This time, the only real purpose was to do just that - discover what the campus had to offer.

Some snapshots:

posters touting studying science abroad (a lot of opportunities in Italy!)
a new-to-us cafeteria (near the music building, and so we saw some musicians hanging out, playing)
an even better short-cut :-)
a lively soccer game
even more sculptures

We also stopped at a few information stations. One of these was about the Costa Rican folkloric music, and what they are doing to archive it. While the music is not (yet?) available online, you can request digitized copies by email. (www.artesmusicales.ucr.ac.cr)

UCR is using and promoting a lot of free software, including using it as part of the coursework. There was a room full of demonstrations, and the first one we encountered was a CD burner for Ubuntu! Rick quickly got passed to the experts in video and audio editing, and got a nice demonstration of the free-ware available. He came away with a *lot* of information, and was *very* encouraged! (csl-tec.softwarelibrecr.org)

Well.... Since Rick had such luck, I finally screwed up my courage and approached an expositionista in the pottery/ceramics tent. She was *lovely!* We talked about the School of Art - what types of art are taught (painting, ceramics, wood sculpture, etc!), and - most importantly, how I could join a class here and there without being a full-time student on a career path! I had heard that people 56 years and older could audit classes (no placement exams, could be part-time), and I knew several full-time "regular" students, but I had never heard how someone in the middle (like me) could attend a class or two. Opportunities for getting involved at UCR is one of the main attractions for living where we do! So, now I'm a step closer :-)

Of course, no open-house is complete without *food!* We got a nice big chunk of 100% pure cocoa from a woman who made it herself, on her Finca Loroco in Talamanca. Then we got a jar of cas pulp from the executive chef of Ay, Que Rico! from Heredia. He had several other pulps and sauces, and we had a nice foodie moment talking about how to use them :-). Earlier, I had seen interesting items like pejibaye flour - I'll probably go back for that...

------- contact info --------
Free software sites:
www.softwarelibrecr.org
www.softwarelibre.ca
www.drupal-centroamerica.org
www.crubuntu.org
www.linuxcostarica.com
www.softwarelibre.ucr.ac.cr
www.alternativa.una.ac.cr

Escuela Artes Plásticas
www.ucr.ac.cr
http://artesplasticas.ucr.ac.cr/
Lilliana (for info on matriculation, session dates, what to do, etc)
2511.4467
2511.4031

Finca Loroco: fincaloroco@gmail.com
Dirección 300 m hacia Carretera a las Cataratas, Volio, Talamanca. Familia Moreno Vargas
fax: 506.2751.0283

Ay, Que Rico!
Luis Mathieu M.
Chef Ejecutivo
8829.3464, 2262.2744
ayquericocateringcr@gmail.com
www.ayquericorestaurante.es.tl
Urb. Boruca 1, Mercedes Norte, Heredia

National Theatre 2011 Season

2011-03-22T22:42:00.000-06:00

The National Theatre MedioDía has gotten off to a great start! A few things have changed since last year - entrance is now c1000 ($2) instead of c500, and there are many Tuesdays of dance and theatre as well as music.

Today was the first musical performance, and for me it's all about the music! We hosted the Juilliard Jazz Artist Diploma Ensemble, with 3 members from the USA, one from Australia, and the charming Spanish-speaking Italian. They are on a tour of Costa Rica, and definitely worth going to see!

Some other activities and events:

Master class and concert at Universidad Nacional - Heredia
Master class at UCR
Transcultural session at the San Pedro Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano
Master class at Teatro Eugene O'Neill
Concert at Palmares - Colegio San Agustín
Concert for students of MEP - Teatro Eugene O'Neill
Concert at Hotel Club de Mar - Jacó
Concert at Teatro Copaza - Quepos

Pesky Ants

2011-03-21T13:51:00.000-06:00

Costa Rica has an amazing diversity of plants and animals, including ANTS! Outside, they are fairly easy to avoid, and I have gotten used to watching out for the trails - no fun getting swarmed, or even bitten just once. But once they are inside the house, they are fair game for full-on extermination.

Of course, the first thing to do is try to keep the ants from coming in force. I can live with a few here and there, so I don't worry too much about a one-day trail in the bathroom. However, there are some species that send in "scouts," and if they are able to report back that there are ant-yummies available, then you will have waaay too many visitors! The scouts I notice are the large (almost 1/2 inch long) red or black ants that meander around the floors, usually at night. When I see them, they're squished and flushed. Usually I see one per night for perhaps 2 or 3 nights, then they give up.

There is no sense in tempting fate! Keep sweets sealed, put away food in a timely manner, and keep your counters and stove clean. You don't have to go crazy, but a quick swipe with the cleaning rag after dinner is a great way to cut down on ants (not to mention other nasties). If you use sugary sodas or coffee creamers, then it's also important to wipe the counters after using these - minute amounts go flying, and the ants will find them!

If a trail of ants becomes too much, I make a solution of half water and half vinegar (any kind will do), and wipe the trail with it. At the same time, I'll use the solution to wipe down the counters, bathroom edges, and other likely places. Usually, the ants are gone right away. But sometimes they are driven in by weather, and so it can take a few days of vinegar-wipes to completely discourage them.

About a year ago, the ants seemed to completely take over my kitchen. I couldn't even leave out a batch of cookies long enough to cool, and they swarmed over a carrot cake that was on top of the refrigerator in less than half an hour! That was the last straw! I mixed up some ant poison, and set some out. I have since had an entire year (plus!) free from ants :-) The recipe - in a small 1/4 cup jar, combine a tablespoon each of honey, water, and boric acid. Shake well. Dribble a little in the lid and leave it behind the microwave. Leave the open jar on top of the refrigerator. Check it every 6 months - it should still be a thin syrup.

PS - you can get boric acid at most pharmacies; I haven't been able to find it in grocery stores.

PPS - if you have pets, a good way to protect their food from ant invasions is to place the food bowl in the middle of a larger bowl of water, creating a moat that the ants won't (usually) cross.

Green Bean Home Fries

2011-03-20T19:16:00.000-06:00

Green Bean Home Fries

In a large skillet (12"), heat oil.
Add:
- 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 potato, sliced

Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, cover, and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once.

Add:
- 1/2 pound green beans, cut into pieces about 1/2 inch long
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Cover and cook till done (~7 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Serve as a side dish, or add bacon and cheese for a main dish.

Puerto Viejo Again :-)

2011-03-19T16:20:00.000-06:00

Puerto Viejo is becoming an annual trip for me, coinciding with my brother's visits :-)

I decided I had enough photos of the area for a while, so I left my camera behind - now that's travelling light! Unfortunately, I also left behind part of my CPAP machine, so my sleep was not optimal - but still not all bad (very nice to know this for the future). I did bring my very own snorkel gear - my only rental this trip was the bike!

We splurged on a dinner at La Costa de Papito but most of our dinners were from street vendors - the chicken on a stick with hot sauce is to die for! And the big plus is that is leaves plenty of room for ice cream :-). "Deelight" ice-cream parlor serves gelato that has the most *intense* flavor I have ever had in Costa Rica. Choko orange - OMG! It is right across from the bus stop, and is on my must-must-must do list. Coming from a die-hard ice-cream lover, that is really saying something... Oh yes, the Italian owners/chefs are simply lovely to talk to as well!

We continued the eat-on-the-street theme for lunch - bought french bread at a bakery on the South side of Puerto Viejo, got water, sodas, beer, wine, cheese and yogurt drinks at a grocery store, and ate at the beach whenever we got hungry :-). I discovered (a little late, but not entirely *too* late) that I like to carry a little something to drink with me - so, I poured some wine into an old soda bottle and sipped it to cool off that hot street chicken.

Most restaurants in Puerto Viejo now serve filtered water when you ask for a "vaso de agua" - there is a very minimal charge, if any, and it does cut down on the "water issues." There are also places that advertise water-bottle refills all along the main drag.

We rented bikes one day, and rode down the coast along the mostly-newly-paved road. This was a *considerable* improvement over last year's body-bruising cruise. Tides were high, and a storm was coming in, so the waves were pretty rough, but the water was still lovely. And the rain held off until we were all tucked up for the night :-).

The weather was generally very nice! Temperatures were in the low 80's, and there was a nice breeze. Humidity was often in the 50's, and never oppressive. We had rain two nights, and a couple of hours of mist-and-drizzle one day - no umbrella needed, although we did see a couple of people riding bikes with an umbrella held just so :-).

I finally have to admit that the Cactus Juice I have simply does not work against the biting bugs in Puerto Viejo - I now have more than 40 bites as my unwanted proof. After a couple of evenings of providing ice-cream enriched blood to the wretches, Big Bro saved us all by buying a bottle of DEET...

Coming back, I got a small surprise. Usually, the bus stops at an immigration check-point just past Limón - an immigration officer checks everyone's passport or cédula to make sure everyone is legally in the country. (So if you're a tourist, it's important to carry your actual passport. Or perhaps at minimum, a copy including entry stamp.) But this time, we didn't stop! Good news for my travel companion, since she only had a copy of her passport info page (not the entry stamp). Bad news, only because now I don't know what would happen in this circumstance. Of course, that good news far outweighs the bad...

--- trip details ---

This time, we hopped the 10:00 bus from San José on Monday morning (crowded), and I returned on the 9:00 Friday morning bus (half empty) - each was c4545 (~$9). The trip is about 4 hours, including a 10 minute stop in Limón (run for the bathroom, since there is only one, and please wash your hands in the sink outside, not inside the women's room).
You can buy your ticket from San José at least 2 days in advance, and all seats are assigned.
You can buy your return ticket only one day in advance, and seating is open. The bus starts in Sixaola, about 1 hour away, so boarding time in Puerto Viejo is *very* approximate - bring your patience.
We stayed at the Cabinas Casa Verde, still my favorite place to stay there (it's for sale!). Even though there are ceiling fans, we find that it is more comfortable to bring a small personal fan as well.
Cruiser Bikes rent everywhere for c3000/day (return by 6 pm).
There are several farmacias in town, and at least one had Breathe-Right strips (3 for c850).
Taxis between Playa Cocles and Puerto Viejo run c2000.
Electric Golf carts rent for $70 for 24 hours, and have headlights and enough juice for 6 hours of solid running.
Pareos sencillos sell for c5000 (I got a nice yellow one this time).
Casados run about c2700; a little more on the main drag, a little less a couple of blocks inland.
"Chocolate y Pan" turned into a regular breakfast place for us.
Almost everywhere had 2x1 drinks for happy hour, usually 4:30-7, often c2000 for *large* tumblers of daiquiris or piña coladas.

Manuel Antonio!

2011-03-14T00:31:00.000-06:00

Unbelievably, in the FIVE years we've been in Costa Rica, we had never visited Manuel Antonio. Thankfully, Visiting Brother was up for the trip :-).

Our first glimpse of the beach...

Beautiful beach for sitting, listening to crashing waves, watching birds dive, and just being...

Snorkeling...

A little watcher (who was really watching whom?)

--- trip details ---
We decided to rent a car and *drive* instead of taking the bus. We got a "full-size" car from Dollar for about $30/day, including the mandatory insurance. We had confirmed earlier with our credit card company that they would cover additional insurance, so we waived that. Renting from Dollar was pretty painless! Every car rental place here requires you to sign a "blank" credit card slip to cover damages, etc. We certainly didn't like doing that, but at least Dollar puts their name on the slip, reducing the risk somewhat. We had also double-checked with our credit card company on this situation, and they said they would treat it like any other fraudulent charge if something was inappropriately charged using this slip.

I took the bus to pick up the car in the morning, and drove it back to the house to pack up (bus, rent car, get directions, drive home, took about an hour and a half). The day after we got back, I returned it early in the morning, and caught the 7:45 bus to class. The entire experience was a far cry from the first time we tried to rent a car here!

We left San Pedro, on the East side of San José, at 12:15. After several ahem, "sightseeing" detours, and one official detour, we arrived in Manuel Antonio at about 4:00. All told, the detours probably only added a bit more than a half hour to the trip.

We decided to see a little more of the country on our return, so we went back via San Isidro de El General. We left Manuel Antonio at 9:15, driving South along the coast, were in Dominical 2 hours later, and stopped to stretch our legs in the park at San Isidro at 12:30. We drove through the 11,000 foot pass of Cerros de los Muertos, and stopped for lunch while we were still pretty high up (and while it was still pretty cold!). We got to San Pedro about 4:00, got gas (The entire trip took less than 1/2 a tank! It took about $24 to fill up.), and got a load of groceries ('cause we had a *car* to haul it all home!).

Manuel Antonio park entrance fees are c1600 for residents and $10 for tourists. Our hotel was between the two entrances/exits (very convenient!). We ate a *lot* of our meals at Costa Linda, an almost-hostel backpacker surfer place. This would be a great place to stay if you don't need air conditioning or private bathrooms, and if you can ignore the very prevalent smokers.

March 13 - National Oxcart Driver Day

2011-03-13T23:29:00.000-06:00

aka Día Nacional del Boyero, is a day to celebrate the oxcart drivers of Costa Rica. The weekend celebration started Saturday, but having just returned from a week at the beach, we decided to just go for the parade on Sunday (with a little hope for some pre-parade music).

Plan A:
- leave at 7:30-ish, catch the San Pedro bus into San José
- catch the Sabana Cementerio bus to the Coca-Cola terminal
- catch the 8-something bus to San Antonio de Escazú
- get there in time to see the folk music at 9

Plan B:
- ask people at Coca-Cola about the best bus and stop for the fiesta; change if it make sense
- if we can't find the music, find a café and wait for the parade to find us

What Really Happened:
- left about 7:50, caught the San Pedro bus, then the Sabana Cementerio bus to Coca-Cola
- walked around a bit looking for the right Escazú bus; caught the 8:30 bus. "looking for the right bus" included asking people in line about the fiesta (one blank look, immediately followed by a "you bet, San Antonio" from her neighbor). Confirmed with the driver, who was a bit caught off-guard by the question. Listened as another passenger asked the driver more specific questions about the fiesta. Managed to mention this fact to the French couple behind us, who were also going (done in French, thank you very much!). Watched said person like a hawk, and followed him all the way to the festivities :-).
- left the bus at 9:00, walked the 6 blocks in a few minutes to the San Antonio church area. No folk music. Food stalls were getting set up, but definitely not ready for us. Had coffee and pastry at Musmanni's - now why is it that I can never tell if I'm spelling that right? It's a bakery chain all *over* Costa Rica, and I stop in regularly!
- found a seat in the shade; waited, listened, watched
- 10:30 - heard that the parade had started (we were at the finish line). More people start to show up.
- 12:30 - no oxen. Getting hungry. Getting a sore behind. Sunburnt. Still enjoying watching the action and talking to our neighbors.
- We wait a bit longer, then decide to eat. Meander down to the food booths - I got a chorreada (YUM!), and some real food. I soooo love fiesta food!
- 1:00 - finished lunch, walked around a few minutes, and lo and behold, there's the first part of the parade!
- cameras are out!
- 1:30 - look for our bus back to San José and home!

Next time:
- leave home about 10:00, wearing sunscreen
- take the San Antonio de Escazú bus to the terminus, walk 3 blocks to the church
- eat fiesta food lunch
- watch oxcarts come in, get blessed, and judged
- eat more fiesta food :-)
- bus home about 3:00

Front of the parade - brass band and giant heads, followed by.... OXEN!

At the very end of the parade, the oxen - and passengers :-) are blessed by the priest - cool water at the end of a long hot ride.

Somewhat smaller participants:

Even smaller fiesta-goer!

The After-Party Crowd

No Gas!!!

2011-03-07T13:57:00.000-06:00

Argh! I ran out of gas!

I use propane gas from a small tank for cooking, and *love* it! But I was always paranoid about running out of gas in the middle of cooking - after all, when else would you run out of gas? So, about a year ago (or was it two?), I got a second tank. The *idea* was to always have a full back-up tank. When the one in use became empty, I would switch tanks, and *immediately* call the gas guy to give me a refill. One tank usually lasts 3 months. Well, I kept my empty around just a little too long this time, and last night (Sunday, the one day the gas guy does not deliver), my dinner was nearly done, and ... phft! No gas. Luckily, I have a microwave, and the dinner was nearly cooked, so we got to eat...

I let Pura Vida get the better of me - but then Pura Vida took care of me too :-)

---- if you need cooking gas ----
Tropigas delivers (to many places, but not all) Monday - Saturday, 7am - 7pm. Their free servicio express center is 800-876-7442. They exchange your empty tank for a full one, and charge the going rate for the gas (currently just under c9000 for a 25# tank). The first time you call, they get all your pertinent information (phone number, address, needs, etc). The next time:
- you say you want servicio express
- they confirm your address (based on the number you call from, which they can see)
- they tell you the price, based on your last order
- you tell them what bills you will pay with (so they will have the correct change)
- they will give you a time estimate; mine has been delivered anywhere between 15 minutes and and hour and a half
- I always ask if the guy can test the tank(s). The last time, he tightened my regulator valve for me :-)
- *Immediately* bake some cookies to make sure everything is working right...

Monteverde!

2011-03-07T09:52:00.000-06:00

Monteverde is one of the must-see spots in Costa Rica - what did we do? Went hiking in the Cloud Forest, took nature photos, saw frogs and butterflies, had cheese fondue for dinner, "enjoyed" two long dusty bus rides...
Thankfully, they included amazing sunsets!

We saw some familiar butterflies, and a whole lotta new ones!

Our tour of the frog ponds started with one of the largest specimens I have ever seen :-)

We took the route suggested by the park ranger, hiking to the continental divide at 4700 feet - on one side, we saw the Nicoya peninsula and gulf:

On the other side of the path, we looked East to the Atlantic:

Decided it was good luck (when isn't it?) to stop for a snog :-)

Came back from the divide via the hanging bridge (yes, I walked across it too, but *very* carefully)!

Our Trip details:

Our bus left from San Jose at 2:30. The normally 5 hour ride became 6 1/2 due to traffic and bridge repairs. Note that the published bus information is not up to date - currently, buses leave SJ (and Santa Elena) at 6:30 am and 2:30 pm. Buy your return tickets (assigned seats) from the boleteria half a block from the bus terminus. Cost = c2350 each
All buses (including shuttles) stop/start from the North corner of Santa Elena town (it is a triangle).
We stayed at the Swiss Hotel Miramontes, owned and run by Walter and Kathi Faisthuber (2645-5152 www.swisshotelmiramontes.com)
The Santa Elena preserve is less crowded, but we braved the Monteverde preserve and didn't run into too many people :-). Entry cost = $5 for nationals (citizens and residents), $17 for tourists.
Shuttle buses from Santa Elena town to both preserves run throughout the day. To Monteverde (old yellow schoolbus) is c600. To Santa Elena preserve is $2.

Something New...

2011-03-06T11:21:00.000-06:00

I'm taking a hiatus from painting while visitors are here - we're roaming the countryside :-). My last complete painting was something very new for me (at the urging of Rick, the sky-guy).

Mercado Borbón

2011-02-28T16:10:00.000-06:00

A while ago, I decided to try some different options for my veggie shopping - I had been going to the feria (Farmer's Market) in Guadalupe, but since our move further into San José, and spending more time in class, it was less and less worth the trouble. Getting vegetables at the grocery stores is iffy - there just isn't the selection that there is at a feria, and the prices are slightly higher. My latest method is to take the bus into downtown to the Mercado Borbón. The drawback to this is that I can't take my cart - I almost always end up with about 30 pounds of food, and that's a lot to carry around.

Food from a recent visit (about c500 = $1):

carrots = 2 kilos / c400
palmito (*fresh* hearts of palm) = 2 bags (over 1 kilo) / c1200
avocado = 2 / c500
culantro = 1 bunch / c50
tomatoes = 1/2 kilo / c200
spinach = 1 bunch / c300
strawberries = 3 boxes / c1000
mango = 1 kilo / c800
mora = 1/2 kilo / c800
onions = 1 kilo / c1000
broccoli = 2 big heads / c1000
cucumber = 2 for c275
zucchini = 2 for c800
green beans = 1 kilo / c1000
platano maduro = 8 / c500
chili dulce = 10 / c1000

One time I went, many prices were *high* - green beans were between c1600 and c2000 per kilo. I was looking for zucchini, asking all over, and one vendor said that they were just too expensive! I thought that was an interesting concept in sales - resellers at the market won't buy something if it is too expensive for their customers to want to buy. The next week, prices had started to come down, and yes, the zucchini was back :-).

These Booties Were Made for Walkin'

2011-02-21T00:30:00.000-06:00

Summer is here, and I have some good walking shoes!

School has started, and I've determined that it takes just about the same amount of time to walk to school as it does to take the bus (*if* you just miss the bus, which *always* seems to happen). I walked to downtown for class - half an hour of "normal" non-power walking. From there, it's only a bit further to the market, where I load up on fresh fruits and vegetables - and cheese :-) On the way, it's easy to stop at the post office or pop into the supermarket. I take the bus home, with a full (really full!) bag of goodies!

I've been trying to find ways to wean myself off of getting things from the states, and shoes seemed to be an easy way to start. In California, I finally found the right shoe for my odd feet - wide, high, snug, and room for orthotics. They are specialty shoes, at a specialty price! I've gone through 4 pairs of these shoes, each time having to find a way to get them here.

So, a while ago, I started the dreaded comparison shopping routine here in Costa Rica. This is enormously time consuming. It is also worth it for many, many products. I took my old pair around, first asking about getting the soles replaced. One place couldn't do it. Another wanted c8000 - I kept that one in mind, but confirmed with neighbors that it was too much. One of the hardest things to find out is what is a reasonable price for something here (as opposed to what's reasonable in California). No one likes to feel like they've been fleeced, especially after the fact. I went to a place in Alajuela that we went to for Rick's shoes, but it had been several years, and the shoe store was now a sushi restaurant :-(. Conjures pictures of leathery raw fish, or shoe-shaped rolls... I had given up for the day, when I noticed that we were walking right past *another* custom shoe store! We walked in, showed him my shoes, got a quote, and left (leaving behind one of my old shoes for him to use as a pattern). Two weeks later, we bused back to Alajuela, and I have new shoes - at less than half the cost, and none of the shipping (unless you count the bus)!

This year's expert craftsman (and super friendly fellow):
Calzado Lazo
Santiago Lazo, proprietor
275 m North of Llobet department store
Alajuela
2-441-5009

Cream of Sweet Red Chili Soup

2011-02-15T20:31:00.000-06:00

Cream of Sweet Red Chili Soup

Fire and Peel 6 Chili Dulces*

Chop and saute one onion in 2 Tbs butter

Combine above with:
- 2 cups water
- 1 bouillon cube (chicken)
- basil, cayenne, cloves, cumin to taste

Bring to boil, then cool slightly.
Pour all into a blender, and blend until smooth.

In a jar, mix 1/2 cup milk with 3 Tbs powdered milk, then add to blender.

Serve hot, with bread or crackers.

* Firing chili dulces is easy if you have a gas stove and tongs! Hold each whole chili over the open flame until the skin is blackened and hardened. Place fired chilis in a covered bowl and let rest for 15 minutes or more. Pull off the skin, and rinse if needed. Remove seeds and ribs.

Pesky Problems in Paradise - Sugar and Salt

2011-02-05T17:15:00.001-06:00

There is just no other way to say it - Costa Ricans love their sugar and their salt! If you have sugar or salt issues, or if you just prefer to reduce your intake of these, you will really have to work at it while living (and therefore eating!) in Costa Rica.

Sugar:
- Most "sodas" (those little cafeteria-style restaurants found almost everywhere, and one of the best deals for a quick meal) include a "refresco" (a blended drink, usually fruit) with their "casado" or lunch special. This sounds like both a good deal and a healthy alternative to say, a coke. However! These refrescos are *loaded* with sugar! What to do? Your first line could be to ask them to make it without sugar (you can always stir in a substitute if needed). This works for restaurants that make them per order, but most sodas have a series of dispensers with pre-made drinks. If you get past this, then the next problem is that even when made to order, many restaurants use a "pulp" instead of the fresh fruit. And, guess what! Yep, the sugar is already added to the pulp! You can still cut your sugar consumption if you ask for no *added* sugar, since more sugar is often added to the sugary pulp. When all else fails, we either get plain tap water or spring for the added diet coke or, if we're really lucky, a diet ginger ale (pretty much the only diet sodas you will find). Well, of course, beer is also a nice option!
- Iced Tea, or "Te Frio" is popular, and proudly announced as "natural." It is naturally sweetened with sugar...
- Some of the ground coffee you buy in the grocery stores is pre-sweetened. This seems a bit strange to some of us, but can be seen as a convenience to those who always add sugar to their coffee. The thing to do to avoid this circumstance is to (naturally) read the packaging, and avoid the ones that include "azúcar." If you go out for coffee, you can ask for it "sin azúcar," but you may still end up with sugar in your coffee (they just won't add sugar to your cup).
- There are quite a few options for sugar substitutes available. Splenda is in AutoMercado and some other grocery stores, and also in many farmacias (but considerably more expensive there). Stevia comes as either as a plant, or in liquid or powdered form. Grocery stores carry Sweet-n-Low, and several Costa Rican brands of sweetener. I have yet to see the coffee creamers without sugar, so it's best to stick with milk. (speaking of milk, you *can* get powdered WHOLE milk here - it's wonderful in coffee, especially if you like very strong coffee with milk)
- On the topic of sugars in general, High Fructose Corn Syrup is making headway in Costa Rica. Reading ingredients lists is crucial here if you want to avoid this as well. It is especially prevalent in low-fat salad dressings. Unfortunately, I didn't write down the exact wording for the ingredient (fortunately, I did not buy the product, but that means I can't just go look for the words) - but look for words like "jarabe or sirope de maiz, alto en fructosa"
- Most desserts here are very sweet. It's almost as though the flavor of the dessert is "sugar" with a tinge of something else. Even the brownies are generally not very chocolate-y. If you like strongly-flavored desserts, you will likely first be frustrated, then find that you just don't eat very much dessert. The one flavor that is fairly strong is dulce de leche - caramelized milk, with a *lot* of sugar. (nothing to do with sugar, but an important note - most pastries and cakes here are *very* dry).

Salt:
- Of course, the best way to avoid salt is to cook for yourself. But, if you're like me, once in a while you get a little tired of constantly experimenting with the exotic food combinations that are possible here :-). So, *the* key phrase to know when ordering at a restaurant is "sin sal" (without salt). This won't work in a soda, where the food is pre-cooked, but is nearly essential when ordering eggs. I will say that I usually cook with no added salt at all, and the soda food is usually not noticeably salty. But if you must avoid salt, then visit these places sparingly.
- While you can find all sorts of cheeses in the up-scale grocery stores, we get most of our "daily" cheese from ferias, sidewalk stalls, or central markets. These generally come in 4 or 5 types, and all but one are salty. The "Turrialba" (or sometimes just "tierno") is a fresh cheese that is low salt and low fat (but always confirm this, even with your usual guy). (update)
- Amazingly, french fries are one of the few foods here that are not salted nearly enough! Fortunately, you can always add this :-).

Pesky Problems in Paradise?

2011-02-05T16:13:00.000-06:00

Can Paradise really have pesky problems?

Yes, well, you need something like a pinch every now and then to remind you that you're not really dreaming, right? This is the start of a series of posts on Pesky Problems, and what we have done or will try to do to deal with them. Just off the top of my head, here are some of them:

Humidity
Ants
Mosquitoes
Sugar and Salt
Allergens

Beautiful Day in Cartago

2011-02-04T00:48:00.000-06:00

It was a Beautiful Day in Cartago yesterday!

Summer Time, and the Livin' is Easy

2011-02-02T00:08:00.000-06:00

The livin' might be easy, but the time is *flying* by! It seems like just a few days ago, it was rainy season. We've just been poking along, making plans in the distance, but sticking pretty close to home.

Now, all of a sudden, with summer in full bloom, school is right around the corner! In two weeks, my French classes start again (hah! less than 2 weeks now, since it took me a while to actually write that down!). Then, a short week later, VISITOR season starts! (that's a big "YAY," by the way)

This just can't be - I have too many emails piled up that need some kind of answer, a French book to finish reading, a few essays I was supposed to write (we'll just rip out that little piece of my to-do list), and "just a few" visits to friends that haven't even gotten planned. Time to get crackin'...

Alajuela Day Trip

2011-01-29T23:34:00.000-06:00

On the spur of the moment, we decided to go to Alajuela for the day! We woke to cloudy skies, but by the time we were on the other side of San José, the blue was fighting its way through!

We got to our old stomping grounds in Alajuela, and walked to Norman's restaurant, "Jalapeño's," in time for a late lunch and a nice chat. Then we wandered down the street, looking for the place where Rick had some shoes made a few years ago - unfortunately, it was no longer in business. We are still trying to wean ourselves off "needing" things from the states, and so my latest mission is to find a way to either repair my shoes or have some made. We had given up on that idea for this trip, and were walking towards a park, when we spied another shoemaker! We walked in, talked a bit about what I wanted, agreed on a price (c38,000), and left one of my shoes there for him to use as a pattern. No, I didn't limp around the rest of the day with just one shoe - I had brought my old pair along :-).

We made it to our park, and then went on to visit a couple other friends - because it was a last-minute decision to come, we didn't call ahead. But no one seemed to mind :-).

As we were walking around, at first we were sooo relieved that it was warmer and sunnier than at our house, but we *very* quickly warmed up, and remembered that that was the main reason we had decided Alajuela wasn't for us - the tiniest bit too warm. Funny how picky you can get...

Oh, but we thoroughly enjoyed the bright sky, the brisk breeze, the blooming trees, and the soooo very friendly folks of Alajuela. It had definitely been too long since our last visit!

Scenes From a Bus

2011-01-29T00:35:00.000-06:00

A Profusion of flowering trees and shrubs
Grandmothers pushing strollers
Kind Strangers offering fruit to toddlers (after subtly checking with the mother)
A Happy Toddler with fruit juice running down his chin
Mothers laughing with their children
Sunny skies with flitting clouds
Young adults sitting and talking in the shade of a bus stop
People jumping up to offer their seat to those who need it more

Santa Ana's Calle Vieja

2011-01-26T14:43:00.000-06:00

It's funny how you hear terms over and over again, and never find out exactly what they mean until some occasion comes along to force you into finding out. Santa Ana's Calle Vieja was one for me, until last night :-).

Calle Vieja means "old road" - there are *tons* of roads in Costa Rica that use this name! Any time a new route is built (like a highway between San José and Santa Ana), the old road becomes Calle Vieja (natch). Well of course it is still used (and the traffic is horrendous)! I found out which road is called Calle Vieja because a restaurant we wanted to go to was off it, and listed it as part of its directions. Then I had to plot a route to get there (in plenty of time for our reservations). Thankfully, I love a challenge...

Our timetable:
5:15 leave our house in San Pedro
5:25 Barrio Escalante bus picks us up. Note that this is rush hour traffic - standing room only on the bus, and it takes half again as long as normal to get into town.
5:45 Downtown San José, Barrio Escalante bus terminal. We decide to walk to the next bus stop instead of taking the Sabana Cementerio bus. It turns out to be 8 blocks, through a not-so-nice neighborhood, but do-able.
6:00 get on the bus for Santa Ana at the Coca Cola terminal. Fortunately, it is exactly the bus we need, and the driver seemed sincere when he said he would tell us when we got to the Paco stop in Escazú/Santa Ana :-).
6:10 bus leaves station (still rush hour)
6:30 finally out of town, and we take the exit to Escazú. We go past EPA, and turn right onto THE CALLE VIEJA! I can easily see several landmarks, and so we're ready to ring for our stop when the driver looks at us and says "Paco" - it's truly wonderful when the bus drivers look out for you (this is not the first time a driver has done something special for me or for other riders, but they don't always remember what help you needed).
6:45 exit at Multicentro Paco. We have now experienced the trip to The Calle Vieja Santa Ana, in rush hour! As you can see, it takes a very long time, especially compared to the same trip in mid-day :-).

Our return, much later:
9:37 PM - bus to San José picks us up at the Multicentro Paco, on The Calle Vieja Santa Ana
9:50 leave bus in San José at Yamuni, just past La Sabana park
10:03 Sabana Cementerio bus picks us up for the ride across town (BTW, this bus stops running at 10:30 PM)
10:15 leave SC bus at the San Pedro bus terminal (notice that it only took 12 minutes to get across town?)
10:30 San Pedro bus leaves terminal. I think this is the first time I have taken this bus so late at night - most of the time, I catch it in the middle of the day, and the buses leave every couple of minutes.
10:47 Home!

By far, the longest time factor in rush hour is the traffic. Late at night, it is the wait between infrequent buses. The same trip in the middle of the day would be shorter by about half an hour.

Cream of Carrot Soup

2011-01-26T13:32:00.000-06:00

Here's what happened when I forgot that I had just bought carrots, and then bought more...

Cream of Carrot Soup
3/4 kilo carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 hands full of celery leaves
3 cups water
3 cubes chicken bouillon
4 Tbs butter
1/2 tsp chipotle*
1/2 tsp powdered ginger

Microwave all above ingredients in a large covered bowl for 25 minutes, or until carrots are cooked.
Blend until smooth.

In a lidded jar, shake to mix:
1/2 cup milk
5 Tbs powdered milk

Slowly blend with other ingredients. Makes about 7 cups. Serve hot, with plenty of good bread and butter.

* I started with more than this, and it was a bit too hot.

This basic recipe works for a lot of vegetables - modify the seasonings as you like to go with whatever veggie you are using.

Sleeping Like Logs

2011-01-10T17:14:00.000-06:00

Ahhhh - a whole week of sleeping like logs! Last Monday, our much-anticipated STUFF arrived! The premier piece, and the reason for shipping at all, was our well-loved mattress - uncrated and set up within an hour of arrival :-).

Supporting cast members in our sleep saga include boxes of books, bins of weights (unbelievably difficult to find here), and a portable dishwasher! So, after a nice dinner, we don't have to worry about doing the dishes, we can settle in with a nice book, then sleep like the dead, awaken refreshed, and spend the day lifting weights (and dirtying more dishes, of course)!

PS - I can see Dad cringing now - yes, we had to leave the feet on, since that is how it was delivered (It was brought in last, so there was no chance to read the uncrating instructions before the movers left). Everything worked out just fine though :-)

Today's Weather Report

2010-12-30T14:59:00.000-06:00

Brought to you by.... The SUN!

YAY! Finally, the sun peeked out, and our cold snap (cross your fingers) is over!

Most of today was sunny, with a light breeze.
Temperature inside = 72F
Humidity inside = 64%

Weather Opinion: YAY!
Weather Advice: Go Outside and Play!

Anticipation!

2010-12-29T17:55:00.000-06:00

Our first visit to Costa Rica was nearly 5 years ago - oh, how things change! Our original plan was to pack up everything, sell the house, ship all our stuff to Costa Rica, and settle in. We ended up doing things a *lot* differently! We did what I now call a "slow move" - in the first 4 years, we made several trips, living in different towns each time. Each new time, we brought suitcases of things we missed the last time. Some places were furnished, some were not. As we bought and brought the few necessities, subsequent trips back to the states meant we had to find a place to store our Costa Rican things. First we left a few bins with friends, then we rented a small storage area. On the other end, when we finally moved out of our state-side house, we also stored a few items - we used these basics each time we came back. We finally trimmed our state-side stuff down to less than half a storage unit, and... YES! *Shipped* our stuff!

The main reason for shipping via container, instead of continuing our suitcase method was that we finally decided it was worth it to move our mattress here. And, of course, it is too big to ship any other way. You may think "gee, they're awfully attached to a mattress!" - and you would be right :-D. We looked at mattresses here, and found one that was close enough. If we hadn't already owned one with plenty of use left in it (stored in the states), we would have bought the one here - it was a cushy king for $1600, at Artistica. When we checked around on shipping costs, we found that we could get our mattress here for about a third of that. On top of that, we weren't going to use it anymore in the states, and there was no good way to get rid of it - basically, you can't give it away, and you have to pay to take it to the dump!

Once the decision was made (waaaaay back in August!), we found that it was worth it to add in a few more items - there was room in the container (shared with others), and didn't add unreasonably to the cost. We said we could wait for several months until the others were ready to ship. Fortunately we really were flexible on the date, because it moved - first it was going to be late September. Then late October, then mid-November, then late November... Right before Christmas, we heard that the container was in Costa Rica, and would get through customs the next week. Frankly, we were surprised, because most government offices are completely shut down the last half of December and the first week of January (and very slow on either end!). But I guess customs is a different story. Maybe...

Sooooo... NOW Anticipation *strikes!* If all went as planned (snort), we could have our things delivered Monday, or maybe Tuesday. We don't hold our breath, but we do move some furniture around and out of the way. Tuesday comes. And goes. Now Wednesday... Don't start thinking about unpacking. Don't start imagining feasting your eyes on long-stored books. Don't, and I mean *really* don't think about falling into sleep, blissfully tucked between your favorite comforter and your oh-so-perfect-for-you mattress!

San Jose Tope

2010-12-27T12:09:00.000-06:00

The day after Christmas, San Jose has its big Tope (horse parade)! This year they expected over 6,000 participants, and many many more in the crowd. Check out this short video someone took at this year's tope - click here. Notice how windy and chilly it is...

Here are some pictures from last year - notice the sun :-)

Weather report: overcast, drizzly, 70 km/h wind, 62F outside (normal for December is 72F), 66F inside, 66% humidity
Weather opinion: UGH!
Weather advice: stay inside, bake something, go see the tope next year :-S

A New One!

2010-12-24T19:50:00.002-06:00

Look what I brought home!

I started this in *October!* I finally finished it - now it needs framing. But I think I'll keep it on my wall for a little while before I cart it off again.

PS - this one is acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20"

Framed!

2010-12-22T16:11:00.000-06:00

I've been framed! Well, a couple of my paintings have been, anyway ;-)

My new life now includes painting sessions with my "painting buddy" - I feel I can say that I paint now because I go to friend Linda's place almost every Friday, and we spend the day just painting - it's officially one of those pass-times that get me into "the zone," and nothing else enters my sphere of awareness - how wonderful to have found another of those :-D.

The nice thing is that I have an awful lot of bare walls to fill up, and Rick seems to like what I paint. I looked around a bit for a framing place. I had no idea of what was a reasonable cost, and what could be done with a painting, so it took some looking, asking and comparing. At the high end was an art gallery in San José - they would mat and frame with glass my small painting for c20,000 (about $40). I kept that in mind, and checked in (and tried to check in) at a couple of other places. I finally took my painting to:

Miró Galeria y Enmarcado
San Pedro, Barrio La Garanja,
de Ferreteréa El Mar 100 sur y 25 este
2280-0672 / 2283-8081

They quoted c9,000 ($18) for double-mat, non-glare glass and frame. They even have a discount for artists who are framing their own work! Hmmm - I left my painting there, and picked it up a week later.

I decided to leave my next one too! (The larger one was c15,000, and ready in 2 weeks because of the Xmas season.)

Fruit Pudding - Yummmm!

2010-12-19T18:51:00.000-06:00

Fruit Pudding

Cook over low heat, about 5 minutes, till bubbly and fully incorporated:

1/2 - 3/4 cup mashed fruit*
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon butter

Cover bottoms of 4-6 ramekins with mixture, and set aside.
~~

1 cup water
6 Tablespoons powdered whole milk
2 Tablespoon sugar
6 egg yolks
dash salt
1 cup mashed fruit*
1/4 cup Flor de Caña 7 year old rum

Mix water and milk (I like to put them in a lidded jar, and shake it well). In a heavy pan, scald milk with sugar. Beat egg yolks with salt until very thick. With wire whip, quickly stir a small amount of hot milk mixture into the yolks, then add the yolks slowly to the hot milk mixture, while stirring quickly. Cook on low heat, stirring gently, a minute or two. Strain pudding and return to clean pan.
Add rum and fruit; stirring gently, cook 2-3 minutes until pudding thickens.
Pour into ramekins, over the fruit mixture. Cover and chill.
Makes 4-6 servings.

* Fruit - I used mashed bananas. Other fruit to try: mango, strawberries, papaya, starfruit (seeded), or any other easily-mashable fruit.

Notes:

The rum could be removed (add 1 Tablespoon vanilla) or changed to go with the fruit (Grand Marnier comes to mind).
Likewise, you can add any spices that seem to go, like cinnamon with papaya. Or fresh chopped mint with starfruit.
You can mix fruit as well: try sliced kiwis in the bottom, and mashed strawberries in the pudding. Or pineapple/papaya. Or... :-)
Normally, whole milk is made using 3 tablespoons of powder to 1 cup water. Doubling the powder like this makes it creamier.
This can also be served hot.
I did something similar using Miel de Chiverri (available around Easter in Costa Rica) - it was ok, but needed something (not yet sure what that is).
You can freeze the egg yolks if you first mix them with the sugar. Then just put them and the salt right in the pan when heating the milk. They can even still be slightly frozen! If you do this, do *not* skip straining the mixture!

Replacing Glassware: the Never-Ending Story

2010-12-19T14:51:00.000-06:00

Clink, clink, CRASH! There goes another one!

Tile floors and glassware just do not mix! I love tile floors for so many reasons, but there is just that one thing that I would like to be different. One little bout of fumble-fingers, and your glass is toast. Then you have to wear shoes around the house for a few days while the glass slivers overcome their shyness.

The fortunate thing is that we got over any sentimentality long ago - glasses are just glasses. When we run low, we make a run to the store and stock up again.

And we do run low - I think my record is three broken glasses in two days. One glass made it through a single pouring of wine before it cracked. We still have one glass from our original batch, but I'm thinking of getting a pool going for it's crash date...

Paradise Redeemed

2010-12-17T22:37:00.000-06:00

Most of this week, it has been colder than aich-ee-double-toothpicks! ehm, in the Nordic sense, that is. But today! Ahhh today! Paradise has redeemed itself! The air was soft again, the sun was out, and my sweater found its way into my carry bag and stayed there.

On top of all that lovely-weather-ness, my day was pretty much paradisaical from a "what's happening" point of view too :-). My morning was slow - trying experiments with showers, coffee, breakfast, etc to try to break some nasty headache / acidic stomach issues. Not so lovely, but the great thing is that we have the ability to actually try these different things - not possible in our old life...

Then, while I'm waiting for my bus, my fellow bus-waiter and I start chatting... in Spanish, and I'm holding my own! Turns out, we are heading to nearly the same place - and it's two buses away! So, we sit together, talking more, then walk to our next bus, still talking, then ride out... Ultimately, I'm speaking Spanish with someone, making more sense than not, understanding almost everything, for almost 2 hours - I feel all warm and fuzzy :-).

Next, I catch my 3rd bus of the morning, alone this time, but with my new French book. I make it through a couple of pages before my stop (hmmm, that's half an hour, if you're wondering how fast I can read). I absorbed more summer sun for a few minutes, then my paint-buddy picked me up, we went back to her house, had an *excellent* lunch, and then painted for the afternoon!

I finished (and signed - very important to do) my canvas, a collage of flowers, then started on a new project. I'm trying out acrylics on broadcloth - I plan to stitch it to some vanes, and have my very own hand-fan; just in time for summer :-)

The weather held all afternoon and into the evening - I caught my return buses without too much delay (I suppose I've just gotten used to my neighborhood bus being perpetually late - sigh). Rick had some wine chilling, so we got caught up over a nice glass or two, had dinner, watched a couple of TV shows, and relaxed! Oh yeah, brownies for dessert! :-D.

Does it get much better than that?

Too Cold to be Paradise?

2010-12-15T12:31:00.000-06:00

*Everyone* is talking about the cold weather this week! Yesterday, the temperature broke a 15-year COLD record here in Costa Rica - It was 50 (FIFTY) degrees in the central valley!

Yeah, yeah, I know - you folks in the states and Europe are laughing in a puzzled manner, rolling your eyes so far back into your heads, you're getting a headache...

I would be too, except that I'm *here!* Costa Rica is not set up for this - we don't have insulation, no central heat (or *any* heaters, for that matter), *and* our houses are made for maximum ventilation - those super leaky windows that are great in warm weather don't serve too well this week. We don't have parkas, gloves, or snow boots. The lucky few who suffered before and remembered, have sweatsuits and slippers (yay!).

Thankfully, giving baked goods is something of a tradition at this time of year. I'm taking full advantage of that. Yesterday, the inside temperature upon waking, nose peeping out of quilts and thermal blankets, was 66 degrees F. We went out for lunch and supplies (biting wind and total-sun-blocking clouds added to the cold). Then, yay! I baked all afternoon - brownies, zapote cake, and ginger snaps. Peak inside temperatures (outside the kitchen) made it all the way up to .... 76 degrees!!!!

Overnight temperatures inside plunged again - 65 degrees. Fortunately, I have a looooong list of things left to bake. I already started on the cornbread, and have plans for more brownies and cookies...

Zapote Cake - Improving!

2010-12-15T12:28:00.000-06:00

My first experiment with a zapote cake was pretty good, but I felt it could be improved :-). I felt that the pecans overwhelmed the cake, as did the rum sauce, and the zapote flavor was lost. I made a few changes (underlined below) - this cake is *amazing!* I had thought about adding some spices, but am glad I resisted. The carambola adds a bit of tartness that brings out the zapote, and the coconut and raisins add just enough "other" flavor.

Zapote Cake with Carambola Sauce

Mix in a large bowl:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 Tbs powdered whole milk

Mix in a smaller bowl:
- 2 Tbs melted butter
- 2 cups Zapote pulp*
- 1 tsp vanilla

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, then add:
- 1/2 cup grated coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 cup raisins

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans, and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees (F) for 70 minutes. The cakes should be very moist, but with a hard surface. Cool slightly in the pans, then refrigerate, turn out and slice.

Serve with warm Carambola Sauce spooned over (microwaving for 10 seconds works great).

Carambola Sauce

Mix in a heavy saucepan:
3/4 cup Carambola pulp**
1/2 cup sugar
Combine and heat on low, stirring constantly, until thickened (stop just before it boils). Let cool, serve while still slightly warm.

* for zapote pulp, blend pieces of peeled zapote with enough water to facilitate movement. It will be creamy and fluffy.

** Carambola is a tart tropical fruit, also known as starfruit. For pulp, dump clean, chopped fruit pieces into a blender, add enough water to facilitate blending. Blend, then strain. No need to peel or seed the fruit first.
CAUTION!!! If you take statins (or other medications), check with your doctor - like grapefruit, carambola can significantly increase the effective dosage within the body.

French Student Party

2010-12-06T17:46:00.000-06:00

Thursday, the Alliance Française in Costa Rica threw a year-end party for all the French students - what a blast! Everyone was "encouraged" (we weren't *actually* threatened) to dress up as something that started with either "A" or "F" - in French, bien sûr!

Then the students had a little "show" and contest - the "artichoke / artichaut" won for the "A's"

The "cheese / fromage" won for the "F's"

And the "Black Angel / Ange Noir" won for (darned if I know what the third group was!)

I went as "l'Abondance," and carried a jazzed-up cornucopia, wore a harvest crown, and (of course!) carried a glass of wine! :-)

My teacher and her fiancé came as a flower and martial artist...

I found some friends from previous classes too!

And caught some candids...

Oh yes! One other thing - there was a raffle, and I won a gift certificate to a *very* nice French restaurant - Le Monastère. Sounds like I'd better pass my finals...

Exploring South

2010-12-05T16:30:00.000-06:00

Jim came to visit last week! He has a finca (farm or acreage) in Ojochal that he needed to check on, and invited us along for the ride - what an interesting whirlwind that was!

We met him at the airport, went and got his rental car together, and headed out of town - Friday afternoon traffic struck, as did the rain, but we still got to Ojochal in 4 hours. Ojochal is on the Pacific coast, a little over an hour South of Quepos. It's up the hill, about 700 feet, and the sea breeze keeps everything very comfortable (of course, the air conditioned car didn't hurt :-D ).

After all the recent heavy rains, we were lucky that the roads were all open. Several places had restrictions while the road was being worked on, and we could see the remnants of quite a few mudslides. We got to Ojochal a little after dark, had dinner, and went on to our hotel. Diquis del Sur is run by a charming Québécois couple, Renée and Pierre.

The next morning, we relaxed over breakfast and enjoyed the view while Jim met with his property manager. After a while, we packed up and headed out to the finca. We drove up a dirt road, pulled to the side, and got out. Alongside the road was a river, about 25 feet wide and 2 feet deep - and yes, the finca was on the other side! Fortunately, I had on shorts and water shoes, and the water was simply refreshing :-). Unfortunately, the water washed off all my bug repellent! I ended up with about a dozen bites - the fire finally banked after about 5 days. Aside from that, tramping around the finca was fun - we saw some of the new fruit trees and pineapple plants that had been planted - even brought home a big bunch of bananas (ripening as we speak on my back terraza).

We originally were going to spend the rest of the day at the beach, and another night in Ojochal, but decided to explore a bit farther - we had never been in the area, so *everything* was new! So, the plan was to go on to San Vito, near the Panama border, stay the night, then drive back to San José through the mountains and San Isidro de El General. Well, we were all set to drive off, when someone mentioned that the buses to San Vito were coming along the coast road - that could only mean one thing - the inland road between San Isidro and San Vito was closed or very restricted. Hmmm. Time for plan B (or is that C now?).

We decided to spend a little time in San Isidro. A couple of hours and several road restrictions later, we were hunting for a hotel. We drove past a few, looked in at one, and ended up at the Hotel Diamante Real (2770-6230 / 2770-6232), a decent, somewhat generic hotel, pretty close to the center of town. We walked around, had dinner, and found out that San Isidro has a lively music scene! Our restaurant ("gato" something, near the hotel) turned into a jazz club after 8:00 :-).

The next morning, we walked around a bit more, then took off for San José. I had heard about this road - horror stories! It passes over Cerro de los Muertos at about 11,000 feet, and very near Cerro Chirripó, the highest point in Costa Rica at 12,228 feet. I know now what it looks like above the timber line in Costa Rica - glimpses of shrubs between banks of fog... :-D BTW, the horror stories are all about the fog, slick roads, and steep drop-offs - don't take the name (los muertos = the dead) to mean that ghosts stalk the unwary traveler :-).

A bit over 3 hours later, we were relaxing at home in San José, eating a late Sunday lunch. We have a number of places to return to, and a lot of things to do when we do return!

Driving directions from San José (the airport) to Ojochal, Playa Tortuga, South Pacific, Costa Rica:

Head North from the San Jose airport (towards Alajuela-Puntarenas)
Continue driving for 11 kilometers
You should see a sign pointing right (La Garita, Atenas)
Exit the highway to the right and make a left turn (direction Atenas-Quepos)
Continue driving on the main road for 2.5 kilometers
Turn left towards Turrucanes
Continue driving for 3.5 kilometers, passing under the highway, and turn left in downtown Turrucanes. Maneuver the two rotundas to get onto the highway (autopista) Caldera in the Caldera direction.
Continue driving on the highway until you see the exit for Jaco
Continue driving on the main road, signs are pointing to Quepos 103 kilometers and Jaco 37 kilometers
Continue driving straight; go past Jaco, towards Quepos
Continue driving through Parrita
Before Quepos you should see a sign pointing left (Playa Dominical 43 kilometers)
Continue driving on the main road
Drive straight from the police checkpoint, drive past Dominical on the right
Continue driving on the main road for 34 kilometers
You will see the entrance to Ojochal on your left. The road is not paved.

Roller Skating?!?!

2010-12-04T23:03:00.000-06:00

Roller Skating?!?! You bet! I went roller skating this afternoon! I haven't been since I was a teenager, but guess what? Nothing much has changed - same music, same games, same smell :-S. Nostalgia is strange sometimes.

I went with a couple I met through my French school, so we had a very nice conversational mixture of Spanish, French, and English. It was a workout for my brain as well as my legs! Speaking of legs... It did take me a while to find my "skating legs" - I was a windmill for at least the first half. But then I found my balance, and even started to get the hang of the cross-over turn. Spinning, squatting, and skating backwards will have to wait. I got a little cocky, and so I fell twice. I'm not going to count all the times I grabbed at other skaters - a very common occurrence for nearly everyone - all in all, not too bad.

Some details: the rink is in San Pedro, just across the circunvalacion from the Mall San Pedro. Skate times are at 1-3:30, 4-6:30, and 7-10. Entry and skate rental is c2000 (about $4) at the 4:00 time slot. You can choose between in-line or traditional skates. Skate are in USA sizes. Shoe (etc) check runs c150, but some people keep a small backpack with them for that instead. Sodas are c500. I did not hear any songs from KC and the Sunshine Band, but there were definitely others from that "original" era of skating.

Informative Morning

2010-11-18T18:02:00.001-06:00

I had a very, uhm, informative morning...

I left the house at 9:30, with the sun shining, and a list of errands. I had a nice walk, then caught the bus to the Yamuni, hoping to finally find a nice coffee service. Quite some time ago, I wanted a wildly colored set, including coffee server, several sugar bowls, and a few creamers. Since that time, I got my rolling buffet that is brightly-colored tile, and so I decided that a white coffee service would be perfect! And Yamuni had them! (And, of course, *no* place had my previously-sought-after wildly-colored service.) After looking at them (and the c8000 sticker for the cafetera alone), I decided to modify my "needs" a bit. I did get enough for a nice cafecito, and figured no one is going to miss the extra milk option I had in mind. I started to get some cloth while I was there, but after waiting about 15 minutes with a bolt of cloth in my hand, and no one even glancing my way to sell me some, I left.

My next stop was a cluster of shops - I looked for a framing shop that I knew about, and had just never stopped in. Now I have some art I want framed, so I am "slow-shopping" around, trying to find out what is a good rate. So far, one art store in downtown San José will frame a small-medium piece, with matting and glass, for c20,000. Well, I walked right past where I thought the shop was. So I crossed the street, looked at my notes, and looked back across the street - at the closed storefront, with a missing sign. It's officially closed down. (By the way, that is an excellent method for finding a store that you *know* is very near - cross the street and scan for it from the other side.) Well, I know of another place to check, so I'll get some more data points eventually, and hopefully some framed art!

Since I was right there, and since I had given up on cloth at Yamuni, I walked into a Quilt store (where I was *immediately* helped). Times have sure changed! It used to be that you could buy the end of a bolt for a much reduced price. The clerks used to automatically add several inches to what they measured, just to make sure you got all you paid for. And you could buy "fat quarters" of any material, *especially* in a quilting specialty store. Well, no more. I found the cloth that I think will work for my project, also found a bolt end "on sale," waited (typical of a fabric store, no matter where you are), and then found out that the bolt end wasn't a great deal, *and* I couldn't buy less than a meter of the other cloth! Very strange, but not bank-breaking, so I got my meter of cloth (about $2). This place *does* have beautiful material! I am sure I will go back for another look, and I'm sure I will need more than a meter :-). (The store is called "Quilts," and is 200 m East, 100 m South, of Banco Nacional San Pedro. And they do sell fat quarters, but they are in packets.)

Next, I walked to a photography store, hoping they would have a way of using my pictures to make a calendar. No such luck. They would print it, but couldn't make one up, and couldn't bind it either. So, I will have to put one together myself. Maybe. Not holding my breath. But I do have some nice pictures all picked out! BTW - Guilá in Sabana would be able to print and bind, but also couldn't make it in software. This photo store did have the ability to make a custom coffee cup - they will put your photo or logo on a cup for c4000 (surprisingly for Cost Rica, they did offer volume discounts).

I decided to finally ask about getting my shoes resoled. There is a very busy shoe repair place in the same neighborhood, so I stopped in. I had already asked about getting my shoes fixed at a shop in downtown San José, and he said he plain couldn't do it. So, I didn't hold out much hope. However, this fellow said they could do something about it, and what they suggested sounded just fine to me. They quoted 2 days, and c8000. The timeframe sounded good, but I checked with my housekeeper about the price, and she agrees - it's a bit much. c6000 seems more like it. Again, I know of a few other places to check. Again, it will take me a while to get there. :-)

On the way home, I decided to forgo shopping for a small fan - that's been on my list for a long time, and I don't really need it for a couple more months. I did a little grocery shopping, and got some take-out for lunch. I was home with my swag and eating lunch with Rick (by far the best part!) by 12:30.

I always get a little laugh now when people say "you can find a good deal, you just have to shop around." That's fine, if you have an easy way to get around, and (*most importantly*) you know where to go to look! Hopefully, this bit of information will help others in their quest for comparison shopping.

This was a pretty good morning! I did almost everything on my list, and found out a lot of valuable information. Of course, it helps if your list is not so specific as to say "get shoes repaired" instead of "check on price and possibility of getting shoes repaired" :-D

San Jose Tour - art supplies!

2010-11-17T15:33:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, I met several friends (old and new), and we toured San José - our quest was art supplies!
Some came from Puriscal (South-West, some from near Grecia (North-West, and I cam from San Pedro (East). We all managed to meet near the East side of La Sabana park shortly after 9 in the morning. I count that as a minor miracle, given that we all bussed there, some for the first time...

We had a plan, and that plan included a *lot* of flexibility - something we had all cultivated in our years of living in our new home :-). Here is the map that we used:

Legend:

A,G = Alajuela / Grecia bus stop coming into SJ
P1 = Puriscal bus stop coming into SJ
A1 = ARCR offices; meeting place
Y = Yamuni store; landmark
* = selected stops for Sabana Cementerio (SC) bus
G1 = Guilá art store
LU = Librería Universal
L = Lazaro fabric store
PSJ = PSJ notions and craft supply store
C = Caja; central office for the caja health system; major stop for buses
NT = National Theatre
SP = San Pedro bus terminal (no building)
r = Chinese restaurant where we had lunch
L = Lehman's art store
U = Universal downtown
s = Soda Maxi (good food, cheapest casado I've found in downtown, at c1700)
e = art gallery that also frames art for you (enmarco = frame)
AF = Alliance Française; art gallery in their central salle
G = Grecia terminal (building)
P = Puriscal terminal (building)
A = Alajuela terminal (building); Tuasa and Station Wagon are a block apart

The red lines are the routes from Puriscal and Alajuela / Grecia on the West, and from San Pedro on the East. For this tour, the folks from the West got off before the terminals.

The blue line is the Sabana Cementario route # 2 - a very useful route to know!

We started out at Guilá. This is a nice new branch of the chain store; the one in downtown is now closed, and all their stock moved here. At first, it looks like you have to ask for everything, as all their stock is behind the counters. However, as soon as you ask (or evince an interest) for anything, they invite you behind to look for yourself. It is a very nice set up, and a very good selection. Item of interest: 100% cotton, 180 lbs pressed watercolor paper, 32 x 41 cm - 20 pages for about c21,000.

We next went to Librería Universal. This is a *huge* department store, with several aisles of art supplies. Item of interest: medium tube of cadmium yellow acrylic paint c8000. (Note: bathrooms available)

Next, we got on the Sabana Cementerio bus (unusually long wait; they are usually every 4 minutes), and stopped at PSJ. It appeared closed, but there is a button to push, and they let us in. This is definitely the store to go to if you are outfitting a wedding party! They had an entire wall full of packages of zippers in a rainbow of colors. They had a huge selection of various embellishments, ribbons, thread, embroidery thread, and knitting yarn. Then there were the items such as bells, plastic fasteners (such as used for fanny pack belts), and 12-inch wide spools of elastic. The odd thing was that they had a minimum sale requirement - you couldn't buy anything unless it totaled c10,000 or more! We pooled our shopping, and did it, but this is the first time I've heard of such a thing here. We decided to skip the fabric store, Lazaro, that was right next door. Most of us had been there before, and we were a bit short of time. Lazaro is not just your typical fabric store - they have upholstery material, sunbrella material, and a host of specialty items.

We hoped to get to the National Theatre in time to see the MedioDía concert, but this was not to be. The SC bus was again later than normal, and we finally got the theatre at exactly 12:10 - the concert had started, and it was too late to get in. So, we decided to go to a Chinese restaurant a few blocks away. The food and service was good, and I will go back again.

After lunch, we met another friend, and continued shopping. We went into Lehman's, a department store with a large art supply section on the second floor. Items of interest: the same watercolor paper (different brand) as Guilá for c20,000 (about $2 cheaper), the same acrylic paint as Universal for c8,250 (about 50 cents more), a very large plastic portfolio for about $15, and a *huge* selection of paper - crepe, tissue, corrugated, etc.

We decided to skip the downtown Universal, since we had already been to the Sabana store. We walked up to the Alliance Française and looked at the art on display, then had a coffee at the cafeteria there (Note: bathrooms available). At 3, we decided to call it a day. I had previously asked about framing at the art gallery down the street - they want c20,000 for framing a medium-sized watercolor with glass and matting. I know of two other places that I want to check for pricing, so haven't done it yet.

From the Alliance Française, we walked to the SC bus stop. The Alajuela-bound folks got off at Mercado Borbón and walked about 3 blocks to the terminal. The rest of us got off at the Puriscal bus terminus. The Puriscal folks caught their bus, and I caught the (other route) SC bus at Paseo Colón back past La Merced, walked up to the Escalante terminal, and was home by 4:15.

It was a very nice day, full of new experiences, chats with friends (lots of catching up!), and interesting purchases! I can't wait to try out some of my new stuff!

---- some useful art shopping terms ----

paintbrush - pincel
paint - pintura
watercolor - acuarela
acrylic - acrílico
canvas - cuadro, lienzo, tela (although, I think the fellow at Guilá used a different term)
paper - papel
cotton - algodón
frame - enmarco
matting - maria louisa
glass - vidrio

Wheelchair Accessible?

2010-10-30T19:01:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I watched three people help a wheelchair-bound man get on a bus. This particular bus did not have a wheelchair lift, hydraulic lift system, or any other specialized equipment for helping physically challenged riders. While the rest of us waited in our queue, the bus driver and two others held the wheelchair while the man pulled himself on to the steps at the back door. He was able to use his legs as leverage enough to turn around and sit, then pull himself up into a seat. His young helper (perhaps his 9 year old grandson?) held his personal belongings, and then the others put his bag of goods (a big net bag of maduros) and wheelchair in the storage compartment below the bus. We all got on, and the bus took off. I got off before he did, so I didn't see how everyone managed the reverse. But I imagine that the driver stopped, got out, removed the wheelchair and stuff, and helped the man get settled before leaving the stop.

Another bus line that I use regularly has a wheelchair lift. I saw it used once, and it was pretty elaborate. Everyone waited patiently (and curiously, I think) while the lift was let down to the sidewalk, the man wheeled on, it lifted him up, and he settled into the space right at the lift.

So much of Costa Rica is not set up for those who use wheelchairs (or walkers or scooters, etc). The sidewalks are so rough, it's even a challenge for us to walk around without falling (it used to be our "rule" that each time we came to Costa Rica, one of us had to fall). I have seen a couple of service dogs, and quite a few red-tipped canes, but I honestly don't know how they do it. Many (most?) houses and apartments don't have much doorway clearance, several steps at the entryway are common, as are sidewalk steps when the roadway gets steep (often, in this mountainous country). I grew up with stairs, and am used to running up and down - you get used to a certain space between risers and so you bound just that much. Well, my bruised knees are here to tell you, that is not a good habit to have here...

Have License, Will Drive

2010-10-26T18:01:00.000-06:00

We've been coming to Costa Rica since the beginning of 2006, and we have had our Costa Rican driver's licenses since the day we got our cédulas in early 2007. In all that time, it has been sort of fun to say that we've never driven here. Well, no more! Last weekend, I house-sat for friends - early in the morning of day one, I drove them to the bus station, and late in the afternoon of the last day, I picked them up. So, not only have I now driven here, it has *all* been done in the dark! Thankfully, I had ridden the bus often enough that I knew my way around, and had very few guesses, and no wrong turns :-).
On the other hand, Rick wasn't with me, and *he* still gets to say that he has his license, but has never driven here...

Sunny San Jose

2010-10-19T18:53:00.000-06:00

Today, in the middle of rainy season, we had a soft, sunny day in San José - we took full advantage!

We had a slow, easy morning, then walked around downtown. We saw some brilliant flowers (and their visitors on the way.

We made a quick stop at the cathedral - there was a service in progress, so we didn't take any pictures of the amazing interior - stained glass windows, woodwork, painted ceilings, and processional statues.

Across the street, we found a shady bench and had a snack while we people-watched. Camera out, snapping shots, we were watched in return :-).

Some of the "people" were entertaining, but not entirely real...

The breeze snapped the flag...

Across the street, we *finally* saw the Teatro Popular Melico Salazar - we had been past this building uncountable times, but never made the connection until now.

I put the camera away (that made Rick happy), and we walked back to the National Theater in time for the MedioDia, a lunch-time concert - this time it featured a *great* pianist, playing the romantics.

After the concert, we walked around downtown a bit, hitting up a few fruit-stands, the post office, and the cheese shop. We got lunch, then caught our bus home.

And it was *still* soft and sunny!

Zapote Cake with Rum Sauce

2010-10-12T22:33:00.001-06:00

**********************

NOTE NOTE NOTE

I updated this recipe after a second experiment - use the one called "Zapote Cake with Carambola Sauce" instead - I promise, you'll like it better :-).

**********************

mmm mmm mmmmmmm - I *love* successful experiments!

Zapote Cake with Rum Sauce

Mix in a large bowl:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp soda
- 1/2 tsp salt

Mix in a smaller bowl:
- 2 Tbs melted butter
- 1 cup Zapote pulp*
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/4 tsp vanilla

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, then add:
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup grated coconut (unsweetened)
- 1 cup raisins

Pour batter into 2 loaf pans, and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees (F) for 45-55 minutes. The cakes should be very moist. Cool slightly in the pans, then turn out and slice.

Serve warm, with warm Rum Sauce spooned over (microwaving for 15 seconds works great).

Rum Sauce

Mix in a heavy saucepan:
- 1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 to 1 1/2 Tbs flour
Add 1/2 cup very hot water. Cook over low heat till mixture becomes clear.
Stir in 1/2 tsp Rum Extract.

* for zapote pulp, blend pieces of peeled zapote with enough water to facilitate movement. It will be creamy and fluffy.

This was originally a family recipe for persimmons. I had been thinking about a fruit that would make a good replacement, and zapote was the first one I tried. I'm also thinking that papaya would work. I replaced half the nuts with shredded coconut, and replaced dates with raisins. I'm not sure where to get rum extract in Costa Rica - lovely brother brought this from the states. I will probably check Tips when I need more, since I know they have some flavorings. Since I don't have a bundt cake pan, I halved the recipe for the experiment - I like how it turned out, so I will probably keep the loaf-pan approach. Added pluses - I don't have to butter and flour the pan, and it bakes in about half the time.
Believe it or not, with the original nuts and dates, this would be a $30 cake! Without persimmons! Now it is reasonable at about $6 and *tropical* :-).

Feeling Like Christmas

2010-10-07T19:55:00.000-06:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! La la la la la....

Today, after days and days of rain, saturated ground, landslides, road wash-outs, electrical outages, and more rain, we finally had an entire day of sun! The humidity was all the way down to the mid-50's, and the air was soft and breezy. Lovely!

In the midst of all this sunny, balmy weather, *several* Ticos commented on the day, saying that is was very Christmas-y. Whaaaaaa? All the Gringos together now, say it with me - WHAAAAAT? Now let's add in the Canadians and Europeans...

Of course, once you think about it, it makes complete sense. Christmas here is at the beginning of summer - days full of sun and soft breezes, and no more rain. Just as people in the Northern Hemisphere are reveling in that Autumn snap to the air, we relish the few days here and there that are rain-free. People in both places are celebrating the change in the weather, and anticipating the holiday to come...

International Guitar Festival!

2010-09-28T15:46:00.000-06:00

The International Guitar Festival kicks off this week!

Rick and I went for our first little taste at the MedioDía today. What fun! The Orquestra de Guitarras de la UCR played arrangements for guitars - there were about 20 players, ranging from soprano to electric bass (is there such a thing as a soprano guitar? dunno, but it went pretty high, like a mandolin). The composers included Manuel de Falla, Andrew York, Astor Piazolla (!!!), Ernesto Alfaro, Pedro Elías Campos, and Rubén Fuentes.

We're very much looking forward to more guitar this week :-)

Voting From Abroad

2010-09-25T22:09:00.014-06:00

Today, we voted in the USA and California elections, from Costa Rica. Because the Democrats Abroad organization had a get-out-the-vote event today, it was pretty easy.*

One thing that makes a big difference (at least for California) is whether you register as living abroad temporarily or indefinitely. To quote from the California SOS website (http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/mov/who-special-absentee.htm):

"You are eligible to vote in California's federal, state and local elections if you are a U.S. citizen living temporarily outside of the U.S. who lived in California immediately prior to your departure from the United States. If you are living abroad for an indefinite period, you can only vote in elections for federal offices (President, Vice President, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives)."

This was the first time we registered as living abroad for an indefinite period! In all the previous elections, we lived in both Costa Rica and California. We went through all that agony of reading and trying to understand all the ballot measures, divining which candidates would best represent us, and finally, rejoicing or lamenting the results. This year, we simply wrote down two names - it took us longer to fill in all the forms than to decide how to vote!

I have mixed feelings about this - I have always hated voting, and have always done it from a sense of duty. Because of that, I spent a lot of time reading the propositions, pros, cons, etc. And in the end, I never really felt that I got the whole story. But I was fully engaged. Now, I don't have to spend that sort of effort, but I also am not *allowed* to participate. So, for the moment, especially since I have no choice, I will lean toward relief :-).

The type of residency that your state** says you have when you move abroad affects much more than just your voting. You have to worry about all sorts of things:

mailing address - no matter what, you are still going to get mail. Do you want it all forwarded to you out of the country? Probably not. Many people impress family members or friends to take care of their mail, but there are also companies that will sort through your mail and notify you of contents and forward as necessary. The post office does not know that you are out of the country indefinitely. It only knows if you are out temporarily if you have your mail held (and even then, it would be guessing). A mailing address in the state generally doesn't affect your residency status.
banking - it's generally a good idea to keep some kind of banking presence in the USA. As dismal as the interest rate is on savings accounts, it can often be a bit better than other banks. Also, if you get social security or pension checks, many countries aren't set up to receive these directly - many people get their checks deposited into their USA bank, then transfer money as needed to their new country. Bank accounts in Costa Rica are fairly difficult to open, and often are frozen or closed without notice. Unfreezing or reopening these accounts is a time-consuming process, and almost always requires a personal visit with documents in hand.
driver's license - most people keep their state driver's license. Most countries allow you to drive on your USA license, at least for some period of time. You have to figure out what to do when it is time to renew, and that is when a mailing address really helps. The DMV would not know or care about any change in your residency status, unless you changed states (and this is not the case).
taxes - you'd better believe you still pay taxes! The good news is that you can get your refund checks mailed to you in your new country, or direct deposited into your USA bank. You also get a later filing date - no more April 15th deadline; your agony can be extended all the way out to June 15th! The IRS and state tax board have all sorts of rules you get to discover when you change your country of residency and your stateside residency status.
health (and other) insurance - we've been away from the states since before the new health-care laws came into effect, so I'm not completely sure what is required of those of us living abroad indefinitely. We're not exactly residents, but we're not "non-residents" either.
jury duty - this was confusing at first! I actually got a jury duty summons! I finally remembered that the summons specifically says to not forward, so I asked my put-upon family mail-sorters to return it with that designation. I would think that if you are living abroad temporarily, you would have to ask for an extension, and eventually have to show up.
rights upon your return - if you have claimed that you are living indefinitely abroad, then return to the USA, what might you have to do to reclaim residency? Let's say you wanted to attend UC Davis as a resident - more than likely, you would have to establish residency just like someone who moved to California from another state. But it would be worth asking directly about this, especially if you have maintained at least some presence in the state. If you lived abroad temporarily, then you retain all rights of California residency, and don't have to do anything.

The great thing {insert eye-roll} is that these government offices don't seem to be in sync!

--------------------------------
* Anyone living abroad can vote on their own (see http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_mov.htm or http://www.votefromabroad.org/). You do not have to be a Democrat to register or vote at these events - you can register for any party (or none), and vote for whoever you like.

**Each state has its own rules regarding continuing residency and voting. The state where you resided immediately before moving abroad is the one whose rules you follow. Most states consider you a resident (of some sort) even while you are abroad.

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

2010-09-22T16:46:00.010-06:00

Yeah, I know. You thought this would be a sunrise picture, or a description of how great it is to wake up in Costa Rica.

Well, it *is* great to wake up in Costa Rica, and for the last several days, I've had that darned song going on in my head. But the flip side is that everything *doesn't* *always* go your way. Here are a few such items to consider.

Item 1: Several times in the last few months, I have spent the day at a friend's house painting. It is a great way for us to visit and to focus on the artistic side (one big goal for my life here). We don't have a car, and I thoroughly enjoy the bus system here. However! On this trip, the buses *never* seemed to align! They're like the stars that way, I guess. The last time I went, it took two and a half hours to get there, and then (OMG, I almost died) it took THREE and a HALF hours to get home! That's an average of three hours to go a distance of 20 miles! And this is without much traffic - that would take *maybe* an hour in a car (lots of windy roads on one end, and a few stoplights at the other).

Item 2: Rick and I usually go to the MedioDía at the National Theatre. It is a noon concert of just less than an hour, and gives you a nice taste of a performance that is often played in expanded form later that week in San José. Usually it's a nice taste. The last time we went... Well, it wasn't that the musicians were bad, because they weren't. It wasn't a bad composition either. We just didn't like it! It was too something - too modern, dissonant without relief, snippets of melodies that went nowhere... The little girl sitting next to us had her hands over her ears by the end of it - very subtly of course, since she was a Tica, but still. My compensation was that I was with Rick. And anytime I get to spend with Rick is great :-).

Item 3: I often go to the Guadalupe feria - the produce is fantastic, and the people are friendly. But one time, I had gotten everything except strawberries, and so was cruising pretty fast. A stack of strawberry bags caught my eye, and I stopped. I have gotten pretty good at testing weights, and so I pretty much know what a kilo feels like. These bags looked light, and when I asked how much, the guy said the price. Then I picked up a bag, and asked how much it weighed. He said about a kilo - I looked kind of funny I guess, and he put it on the scale. When he did this he kept his hand on the bag, and pressed on the scale - well it was pretty obvious. So I laughed, and motioned that he should perhaps lift his hand. He laughed, lifted his half-kilo hand off the scale, and - well, there you go. I said no thanks and moved on.

I'm quite sure there are other disappointments, but they do fade quickly. Because you know, we *do* have beautiful mornings here :-D

Would I let these set-backs stop me from trying again? No! (One might even be tempted to say "No way, San José!")

Whatever Will We Say Now?

2010-09-19T18:43:00.008-06:00

Typically, when a taxi brings us home, we turn the corner onto our street, take a sharp breath, and say "Perdon! Hay muchos huecos!" (Sorry, there are a lot of potholes!)
NOW WHAT!?!? :-D

Overlapping Holidays

2010-09-19T18:38:00.010-06:00

In the states, we have seen the Christmas holiday creep earlier and earlier. Time was, the official start of the Christmas season was the day after Thanksgiving. You could pretty much count on enjoying your Thanksgiving holiday without another holiday invading, then finish it off with a Christmas parade or the first Christmas movie.

I think the earliest I have seen ads for Christmas decorations was a couple of years ago - the day after the 4th of July! Something about pre-ordering your custom decoration for your collection. At this point, not only is Thanksgiving incorporated, but Halloween as well - as soon as the Halloween candy is taken off the shelves, it is replaced with Christmas candy.

When we first moved to Costa Rica, we kidded ourselves - we felt like we were getting away from the USA-style Christmas over-hype. And in a way, we were. It feels different here. Less corporate-controlled, more relaxed, more joyful. However. sigh. If it can be believed, Christmas starts even *earlier* here!

The Christmas-trigger here is now Independence Day (September 15). We went shopping for paper and tape (basic stuff) the day after, and the stores were chock full of Christmas decorations! Window space is a premium now, with flags vying with Christmas ribbon for that eye-level spot. The flags, seals, and buntings are still available, but enormous sections of other goods have been moved aside. One store had reduced its books by about a third, and replaced them with toys. (As an avid reader, I find that sad.)

Notice, however, that the shelves and windows are still full of Independence Day items! In Costa Rica, Costa Rican independence is celebrated the entire month of September - flags and seals go up, storefronts erect enormous drapes of color, school bands practice marching, parks and government buildings are cleaned and painted... The country is full of pride and independence-day spirit.

So, does your average Tico really do much about Christmas this early? I'm sure some thinking starts, but I've asked a few people here and there about it, and most usually get started after the first of November - that's when Christmas trees go up, and decorations become noticeable. The fiestas really kick in at the beginning of December, when the aguinaldos are due - these Christmas bonuses are mandated by law, and amount to an extra month of pay.

What about the other end of Christmas? A few years ago, I was surprised to see a woman buying wrapping paper on Christmas eve - I thought "wow, she really put this off, eh?" But I have since found that gift-giving is also spread out. January 6th is the *big* gift-day, and the official end of Christmas.

For us, the best part of the season are all the fiestas - they are nearly back-to-back, in every town. It is truly a different sort of celebration.

Chocolate Pots de Crème with Mora Sauce

2010-09-14T16:16:00.009-06:00

We always seem to talk about food in my French class, and Monday (the first day of level 4!) was no exception. So, here it is, Tuesday, and I just finished sampling the latest piece of heaven :-).

Chocolate Pots de Crème*

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup crema dulce (whipping cream, not actually sweetened, despite the name)
1 Tablespoon sugar
14 pieces (about 4 ounces) of "La Chocolatería" semi-sweet chocolate
3 egg yolks
dash salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, scald milk and crema dulce with sugar. Add broken chocolate; stir frequently until chocolate completely melts and thickens slightly. (Mixture must be quite hot.)
Beat egg yolks with salt until very thick. With wire whip, quickly stir a small amount of hot milk mixture into the yolks, then add the yolks slowly to the hot milk mixture, while stirring quickly.
Add vanilla; stirring gently, cook 2-3 minutes until pudding thickens.
Pour into small pots de crème cups, ramekins, or small glass dishes. Cover and chill.
Makes 4 (1/3 cup) servings.

*based on a Ghirardelli recipe, "Lafayette Pots de Crème," with necessary changes to accommodate the products available in Costa Rica. I *highly* recommend the cookbook "Ghirardelli Original (3rd edition) Chocolate Cookbook."

Mora Sauce

3/4 cup Mora pulp**
1/2 cup sugar
Combine and heat on low, stirring constantly, until thickened (stop just before it boils). Let cool, serve while still slightly warm.

** Mora is a tart Costa Rican blackberry. For pulp, dump clean berries into a blender, add enough water to facilitate blending. Blend, then strain. Will keep in the fridge for over a week, or almost indefinitely in the freezer. Also makes an excellent drink when the pulp is added to orange juice :-)

To Serve

Dribble a thin layer of warm mora sauce over each pot de crème. Sprinkle with chopped candied ginger. Eat. Die happy.

Breakfast at Our House

2010-09-12T13:30:00.013-06:00

One thing that has changed drastically with moving to Costa Rica from the fast lane of Silicon Valley is *Breakfast!* This used to be a quick canned shake on the road, followed by coffee at my desk. Ugh.

Now? Most mornings we have a full, cooked breakfast, eaten together - much better!

Veggie Scramble
Chop the following:
- 1/2 onion
- 1/4 sweet red chili
- 1/2 piece palmito and/or carrot (~2-3 inches)
- 1/2 zucchini (or some other green vegetable, such as broccoli, chayote, or green beans)

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet, add the veggies, and cook until done. I like mine browned and somewhat caramelized.

Break 3 eggs into a bowl, and remove one yolk (either throw it away or keep for another purpose). Add the following, and stir well:
- a bit of water or sour cream (about 2 tablespoons)
- black pepper
- powdered ginger
- basil
- any other favorite spices (Rick likes garlic)
- cheese en polvo - that is, a dry cheese, powdered or grated (optional)

Add the eggs to the veggies, and reduce the heat. Stir until done. Remove to a plate and cover until ready to serve.

Sides
Heat a shallow layer of oil in the pan, then add sliced maduro. Cook on low until browned, then flip to brown the other side.
Meanwhile, slice tomato (sprinkle with basil or pesto sauce), avocado, and fruit.
If cheese is not in the scramble, slice some queso fresco (aka tierno, aka new cheese)
For a *very* hearty breakfast, add some Gallo Pinto :-)

Toss everything on 2 plates, serve with bread and jam, and sometimes sour cream and Lizano. And don't forget the coffee!

Budget tip - throwing away egg yolks is still cheaper than buying prepared egg whites! But stay tuned for a crème brûlée recipe (ok, so it's Pots de Crème) :-)

Living in Costa Rica - Best and Worst (for now)

2010-09-12T10:08:00.000-06:00

People often want to know "the worst" and "the best" about living in Costa Rica - unfortunately, this list changes, depending on what kind of day you're having :-S.
So, my list for today is all about the unexpected...

Three of the best things about living in Costa Rica:
- sharing a moment with others while waiting for or riding a bus. Or shopping. Or watching a tope. I love it that so many people get a gleam in their eye, for no apparent reason. Then a smile, then sometimes a comment about the line, or the weather, or whatever, that sometimes leads to a lovely conversation.
- the fiestas that never seem to stop! The new year starts with the end of Christmas fiestas, then continues through school summer break. Then fiestas leading up to lent. You would expect things to quiet down during lent, but noooo! It's *summer,* and March is a *huge* month for weddings, horse fairs, and other celebrations. Then Easter! It is the biggest week for family vacations to the beach, as well as religious parades. May slows down a bit, but there are still plenty of fiestas. Then June and July have major events - Guanacaste day, and San Juan's little summer. August sees patron days in San Ramon and several other cities. The entire month of September is Independence Month, with clean buildings and parks, flags and buntings streaming, parades and fireworks. October and November seem to build up to Christmas, and December is chock full of fiestas!
- the bus system! Every time I really think about this, I have to laugh at myself. I used to practically *live* in my car - drove since the age of 9; I never used a bus (except for school, and then only until I could legally drive). Now, in Costa Rica, I have yet to drive a car. And I get a special thrill out of finding a new way to get somewhere by bus. So call me weird.

Three of the worst things about living in Costa Rica:
- news from USA. More and more, I find that news from the states is just plain depressing. The rest of the world seems so much more sane by comparison. But that might be because I am less vested in the details of the rest of the world.
- cherries and blueberries. Unattainable at a reasonable price, and even if you could bring yourself to pay $25 for a handful, you could only do this for a very short time each year. Mitigated by luscious, year-round mangoes :-)
- that uncomfortable feeling when you think you should know what to do in a situation, but you don't. When and how do you invite someone to coffee? What do you do to thank someone for an invitation? How closely do you calculate time spent on a job, and therefore determine pay? What hints are you missing? It's a minefield...

These are some of the things that were unexpected - let's not forget that the original reasons for even investigating Costa Rica as a place to live still hold:
- We can live (really live) together, as we like, spending real time together
- Medical care is excellent and affordable

and the expected difficulties:
- culture shock - yes, it still attacks, but less frequently, and less severely. And it is more recognizable each time, and therefore more easily dealt with.
- safety, and the necessary suspicion that goes with it - this is still hard to accept and live with, but it is becoming a more natural part of life. I'm telling myself that is a good thing.

Is 4 Out of 10 OK?

2010-09-10T19:58:00.008-06:00

I have lived here *how* long now? Off and on, coming up on 5 (FIVE) years! And I see that I have *not* been to 6 (SIX) of the top ten destinations in Costa Rica! As a summary, here they are, along with my lame excuses:

1) San José - well, I *live* here, so I have *been* here. But I haven't seen an awful lot of it - almost none of the museums, for example. I'm counting it.

2) Arenal - I have been here, several times! And I'll be back :-)

3) Monteverde - sorta went here, once. Really, it was Santa Elena. But I walked through one of the reserves. I'd go again if someone was visiting and wanted to go - any takers?

4) Manuel Antonio Beach - haven't been. Don't know why. It's been on my "must do" list since day 1.

5) Tamarindo Beach - went to a couple of other beaches on the Nicoya peninsula. They're darned hot! Sámara was nice, and I'd go back with an interested visitor. I would tell a visitor how to get to Nosara. Tamarindo has never interested me.

6) Jacó Beach - Probably won't go, just on principle - too many gringos can't pronounce it. But principles are meant to be broken...

7) Puerto Viejo & Cahuita - ooooooohhhh yeah! Have been. Will return. Got new snorkel gear demanding a try-out.

8) Drake Bay (Corcovado National Park) - this has also been on my "must do" list since day 1. I will get there eventually...

9) Tortuguero - turtles. For some reason, you can't come to Costa Rica without doing something with turtles. I don't mind turtles, I just don't get the fascination.

10) Montezuma - One of the first friends we made in Costa Rica lives here. Maybe one day we'll get out there and see him. If others in this area are as nice as he is, we'll probably kick ourselves for not getting out there sooner.

So, is 4 out of 10 OK? If you count the fact that we'll be here for the foreseeable future, and have spent a lot of time figuring out LIFE, maybe so.

This is not a whirlwind...

Hot Honey Lemonade

2010-09-06T16:02:00.002-06:00

Hot Honey Lemonade

4 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 packet splenda
Water to finish filling a mug

microwave 1 minute

The Perfect Pick-me-up!

Shopping Tip - I got 25 small lemons for c500 (less than a dollar) at Mercado Borbon :-)

Permanent - Cedula!

2010-09-06T11:01:00.014-06:00

Last Wednesday, I found out that my permanent residency was approved! The next step - get my new cédula! That would be the ID card that actually *says* I am a permanent resident :-).

So, I paid the cédula fee (currently $123) and the rest of the legal fees, and my lawyer called for an appointment. Once upon a time, this took months (I'm not kidding! Our very first appointment for our very first cédula was FIVE months after our residency was approved.). This time? Less than a week! My appointment with immigration was Monday morning - 2 1/2 business days after being notified of the approval. (I'm wondering how many times I can get away with saying "approved" in one post...)

This morning, I hustled over to ARCR, met my lawyer's aide, and checked over my documents:
- latest orden patronal showing that I have joined the Caja (the national health system)
- my passport(s), boarding passes, exit tax receipts
- my old cédula

Waiting in the wings, just in case, I also have:
- hoja de delincuencia (a Costa Rican police report, showing I have been a good girl)
- USA embassy registration (proving that the USA knows where I am)
- Caja carnet
- bank letter, showing that Rick's family (that's me) has converted the required amount of money in the last year as rentistas
- marriage certificate ('cause *everyone* wants to see this)
- copy of Rick's cédula

Then we went over to La Migra (immigration), in time for my 9:15 appointment. As usual, we expect to spend up to 3 hours waiting for my turn.

I had brought a book, but quickly realized that I would be too anxious to read - I had to listen for my name (no numbers or moving-chair line), and that is problematical here. Will it be "Julie Hill?" or "Hoolia Eejh?" Turned out it was "Julie Kris Hill" whaddaya know, almost right - I heard it the first time, as did the aide :-). And it only took about an hour of waiting, most of it sitting!

We both went to the desk, where the immigration official asked to see my resolution (the piece of paper that says my residency was approved), receipt showing I had paid the fee, and then my cédula. Then she asked if I had picked up my old cédula at immigration, or had I had it sent to the post office - I still don't know why that mattered, but it did :-S. And nothing else did matter - she didn't need to see any of the other documents I had with me. But of course, if I hadn't had them...

She took my fingerprints and my picture, and printed out my new cédula information for me to verify. Interesting to me was that the date of my new permanent residency NOW says mid-March! My comprobante (residency package accepted) was dated early May, and my resolution said mid-August, but they changed the residency date to match Rick's. Also, my cédula is good for 2 years, and expires at the same time as Rick's - very nice! This to me is just one more clue that the two residencies are *not* in fact separate.

One other item on the printout was whether to be an organ donor or not - I asked her to change it to yes.

By 10:15, I had a receipt (with picture) for my new cédula, and a date (October 4) when I could pick it up at immigration. However, it turns out that now you can get the ID in ONE WEEK if you opt to have it sent to your nearest post office. Hmmm. Going to Immigration is easy for me, but I'm feeling impatient! I paid the c2,600, and plan to pick it up on my way home from school :-).

Just in time - tomorrow, my old cédula expires :-S

Changing Ferias?

2010-09-04T15:44:00.006-06:00

For several months, I have been reluctant to go to the Feria (farmer's market), and today, it finally hit me why!

When we lived in the "other apartment" in San Pedro, it was pretty convenient to go to Guadalupe - I walked a couple of blocks, caught the bus, walked a couple more blocks, shopped, had a quick lunch in the park, and usually had a pleasant walk home through UCR with my cart full of groceries.

Our "new apartment" in San Pedro is still about the same distance to the Guadalupe Feria. However, getting there and back is just not so straightforward. This is the sort of thing that shouldn't make a difference, but does! For some reason, I just hate the thought of having to go a couple of blocks out of my way, or reversing myself when I know my house is "just a block over that way."

To get to the Feria now, I either:
A) take the Escalante bus East to La Antigua Aduana, then catch a Guadalupe bus North and West, or
B) walk 35-45 minutes, taking the pedestrian bridge (with stairs) across the circunvalación

The return is more frustrating:
A) walk a different route (full cart, so no stairs please!), and back-tracking a couple of blocks, or
B) buy a lot less and take the reverse bus route (no cart on the bus, please), or
C) use a taxi

On weekends, the Escalante bus only comes every half hour, and even at the best of times, it is not very reliable (unlike every other bus I have ever used here).

During school, I went on a Feria hiatus :), and simply picked up a few items each day after school. That worked well enough, but put a strain on my back (no cart), and made a long day even looonger.

I have decided that there are several things I can get at my local grocery store at the same quality as the Feria - things like potatoes, onions, and carrots (all heavy, by the way). The price is not significantly different, and I can get them as I need them (instead of waiting until Saturday). And I can use my cart! It is only certain fruits and vegetables that are either poor quality or very over-priced that I should get at the Feria.

So today, I tried something different! I took the bus into San José, walked 2 blocks to Mercado Borbon, shopped around, and took the bus back - all told, I was gone less than 2 hours, and only had a short walk. This would be a lot shorter during the week, with less waiting-for-the-bus time (and Mercado Borbon isn't open only on Saturdays!). I did a quick informal survey, since I only had a short list of must-haves. I will have to spend some real time looking around soon for particular items. However, for what I did see, the prices and quality were comparable to the Feria.

BTW - earlier, I did a quick run-through of the San José Mercado Central - it was over-priced and had succumbed to tourism. Not worth it...

Permanent - Los Dos!

2010-09-01T18:24:00.011-06:00

It was surreal! Today, 11 months, 3 weeks, and 4 days after applying, I got *the* phone call! My application for permanent residency was approved!

Within the hour, we were headed out to our lawyers to get things lined up. I paid the various fees (second half of legal fees, plus cédula fee), got a copy of my approval letter (to carry around until I get my new cédula), and gave the go-ahead for my lawyer to get my cédula appointment. By the time the rain got serious, we were on our way back home - and the news still hadn't really sunk in...

But now it has (yay! little happy dance going on here)!

There are still so many things about this process that are hard to understand and accept. Rick and I started out as rentistas - the law that covers us ties us together as a family. Rick was the primary, so everything was in his name. When we applied for a change of status, to permanent, the two applications were split, and treated separately. This was in early September of 2009.

Rick got his permanent residency in March, and was notified in April. At that same time, immigration said they wanted another copy of my cédula. I still don't know why, or why it took them until April to know they needed it. My letter from immigration accepting my package was now dated early *May!* I don't know if there was even an earlier one - I just never worried about getting a copy of the letter until later, when my cédula was in danger of expiring. (FYI - if your cédula has expired, or you don't have one yet, then this letter from immigration means you are "in process" and they won't kick you out of the country. So it's important.)

Meanwhile, I'm starting to become a very squeaky wheel. I'm calling my lawyer almost every week. The story is always the same - immigration said check back in 2 weeks, or sometimes 3 weeks. (We had started the squeaks in January, but limited them to every 4-6 weeks.)

Finally, immigration said to check back in early August. Yikes! My cédula was set to expire in September! When the August date came and went, and there was no good news, I tried to get my cédula renewed. HAH! When that didn't work, panic went into overdrive. We made it through the weekend, then called and got an appointment with the experts for a little hand-holding.

Here are some odd tidbits:
- Because Rick was the primary, all this time, all immigration looked at was his proof for continuing our residency. They (maybe) looked at his bank statement (converted enough dough) and his passport (time in country). Apparently, I could have stayed the entire time in the states, and it wouldn't have mattered. That wouldn't have been in the spirit of the law, but the way it was explained to me is that the laws here are tiered. Family trumps everything, and so if one family member is granted residency, and the other family member(s) didn't comply, then they can't split up the family - they all get residency.
- Since Rick was granted permanent residency, I could not be denied. WOW.
- Since BCR didn't renew my residency, my lawyer had to go through immigration to get a renewal appointment there. This is *not* a quick process! That request is still pending - and will get canceled now, thankfully.
- My lawyer was notified 20 days after my residency was approved. The astute reader will notice that that means my residency was approved on the 12th of August - one day *before* my BCR appointment to deny my renewal. It really makes me wonder sometimes...

There is another new-ish method going. For cédula appointments at immigration, the lawyer calls for an appointment, and generally gets it for the next day - which means I will get less than one day notice. Fortunately, I live nearby and have no commitments that I can't get out of if needed. I really feel for those folks who live far away tho.

Now - thinking about next week. May have a visit to immigration then...
:-D

San Jose Photo Safari

2010-08-31T15:11:00.016-06:00

We had gone on Photo Safaris in Costa Rica before, but hadn't really focused on our part of San José much. Today, we fixed that!

We left this morning, while it was still sunny, took the bus to the first park, and continued walking to downtown and then lunch. It was a beautiful day, and it didn't take us long to see a few sights that we had missed before, as well as several familiar from our usual errands.

*AND* we left plenty of photos for future trips! :-D :-D :-D

This is "Place de France" or Parque Francesa - it is a nice place to sit in the shade and listen to the fountain. The statue of Marianne commemorates the 200th anniversary of the French revolution.

One French woman, one future French woman. I don't think I quite have the look down just yet...

The old customs house, La Aduana, was renovated in time for the transfer of presidential power in May. One side is old brick, and the other side is modern glass. There are a lot of concerts and exhibits held here now. You can see the Santa Teresita church nearby.

Rick leaving La Aduana - the entire wall across from the old train station is covered in murals, and the mountains behind are nice too :-)

On a whim, I thought I'd try this shot - turns out I like it!

The old train station has recently been renovated. I just liked this view.

The figures at the top of the National Monument represent the 5 states that joined in repelling William Walker at the Battle of Rivas.

Close-up of one figure on the other side.

Looking South from the National Park, along one of the pedestrian walkways. San José has a lot of these streets restricted to pedestrians, and there are more being added all the time - perfect for walking tours and photo safaris!

Weather Report

2010-08-21T22:40:00.002-06:00

This morning was sunny enough that I got a little sunburn walking to, from, and around the feria. It was warm enough that I was in desperate need of a cool shower as soon as I got home :-|.
Conditions persisted until early afternoon, then came the torrential downpour!
Except for the "feria" reference, this could apply to almost any day this month - August - rainy season in Costa Rica...

Permanent Residency - Mission Impossible?

2010-08-13T17:52:00.007-06:00

The Goal: Permanent Residency status in Costa Rica.

Likelihood of Success: Diminishing?

Background:
In 2006, several immigration law changes ago, Rick and I applied for and received "Rentista" residency in Costa Rica. Under this version of the law, which still applies to us, we deposited money in a Costa Rican bank, in an account in Rick's name. Each month, the bank transfers dollars from that account into an account in colones (also in Rick's name). This counts as our "income" in Costa Rica, and covers the entire family (that's me!) even though only Rick's name is on the account. This is what was required.

Each year, we have renewed our residency by getting a letter from the bank stating how much they converted from dollars to colones. This letter *always* states that this was done in Rick's account. Other items required for renewing have included passport stamps showing that we were in the country for at least 4 months each "residency year."

Since our residency was approved, there have been two new laws which have gone into effect: (a) in 2006, rentista status changed so that each person had to have their own account, (b) in 2010, rentista status changed back to covering the entire family (but the amount went way up).
In addition, there is now a requirement for (1) joining the health care system (known as Caja), (2) registering with your originating country's embassy, and (3) being able to prove that you have been a good boy/girl while in Costa Rica. This means additional paperwork when renewing:
- orden patronal (caja)
- print out of embassy registration
- "Hoja de delincuencia" (Costa Rican police report in your name)

What has not changed is that after three years of this type of residency, you can apply to become a "permanent" resident. This means several things - you no longer have to show proof of "income" (our bank account), you don't have to spend more than one day each year in Costa Rica (not that we want to limit it, it just gives us flexibility), and you can legally work (more flexibility).

So, last year, in September, Rick and I both applied to become Permanent Residents. In March, his application was approved. Mine is still in LIMBO!

My cédula (ID card that shows valid residency status) will expire in early September (as will my residency, unless it gets renewed or "permanent-ed"). Since my status is still in limbo, my lawyer said to get my cédula renewed. She also said that 95% of the time, people in my situation automatically get a permanent status with their renewal (they see that I am in process, and it has been a year, and so they just sort of approve it on the spot).

You can call for an appointment to renew in the month before your cédula expires (so, NOW). We did that - Rick, great guy that he is, did this for me while I was out having fun painting :-). We gathered all the supporting documents we needed, and went to our appointment.

Today:
We both go to the appointment at Banco Costa Rica (BCR), supposedly the only way now to renew cédulas, and reportedly much easier, faster, efficient, (name your superlative), etc. than going to the immigration office.
I have all the documents you could conceivably wish for:
- my old cédula
- Rick's cédula
- orden patronal (every single one of them, also all in Rick's name)
- Caja carnet (shows that I am covered under Rick's orden patronal)
- old and new passports, boarding passes, exit tax receipts (covering every single year of residency)
- embassy registry (yep, I'm "other traveler" here, under Rick's registration)
- bank letter (account in Rick's name)
- our marriage certificate ('cause, DUH! everything is in Rick's name!)

Well, so... the nice lady at BCR looks up on her cheat sheet for what kind of documents she needs to verify, and asks for my bank letter. Hmmm - she takes it to another person. She says that it needs to be in *my* name. We explain that that's not possible, and that our residency is under the old 2006 law. She talks to more people. She does stuff on her computer. She writes out a note, first in Spanish, then takes the time to translate into English. But the fact remains; the cheat sheet says the account has to be in my name, so that is what the nice note says. It makes no difference that we got our original residency that way, and no difference that we have renewed several times the same way. After an hour, we leave without a new cédula on the way. (And *forget* anything about *any* possibility of getting in on that "95% of people in your situation will just get permanent residency!" HAH!)

We're pretty stunned, but - onward! I called our lawyer, who was shocked at what happened at BCR. She said that obviously the person hadn't been adequately trained. She also said there was nothing to be done about that. sigh. But, she could (and will) write a letter of complaint to immigration about how long my application for permanent residency is taking. She has already pressed the "boss" at immigration about it, and explained that she is (by law) unable to talk directly to the person who is handling my case.

Next:
I still have a few weeks left on my valid cédula. So, between now and then, my lawyer will write that letter of complaint, she will check on my status with immigration again, and we'll hope that works - and works in time. If I get approved by my residency expiration date, I'll get an appointment right away for my new cédula. If not, well, I expect there will be stronger methods available. Fingers crossed that I won't be breaking new ground in finding out. But you know, I *have* been studying French...

Kitchen Islands - My Design and Juan's Work

2010-07-19T22:57:00.010-06:00

If I don't get this published soon, it will *never* make it out! So, short and sweet - I finally got around to getting some kitchen "islands" (counters, whatever) made! My kitchen has a space for an electric stove, which I do not use, and so I have had this gaping, unusable hole! And, on the other side of the kitchen, I had my gas stove (which I certainly *do* use), but it had no counter space around it - and showed off, to *no* advantage, my gas tanks :-(.

So, I contracted with the talented fellow, Juan, who remodeled my neighbor's house. I measured and drew the design, he checked my work, we discussed materials, etc. Then he built the counters and brought them to our house for the final tiling. Then! What fun! I got to play around with the colors and lay out the design. When I had doubts, he weighed in - good advice always. We had several tries here and there, and reluctantly threw out a few details because we just couldn't get them to work with everything else. But, I ended up with artwork! And it's *usable* art! (and tee hee, yipee - he did all the work!)

Here's the wheeled unit that fits into the electric stove hole - I can store root vegetables on the shelf, and I can use it to serve cafecito or buffet dinners in the other room (and now I can even stop worrying about trying to find a coffee set that is patterned, and get an easy-to-find white set).

This shows the bottom shelf better:

These are the two small counters that cover up my gas canisters.

Close up - I will probably put wheels on this one to make it easier to get in and out when changing the gas tank.

This one was a lot harder to figure out than I expected! It is not rectangular because I need room to maneuver - the door is on the right, and the fridge is next to that.

It's a hard feeling to describe, but I like it that I have something useful and (especially important in a rental) something that will go with me if/when we move. But most of all, I like it that I have something that lifts my spirits in the kitchen.

Tropical Heat

2010-07-15T07:58:00.005-06:00

I just added this link to a Heat Index Calculator (thanks Danny!) - it's now in the "Useful Links" section on the side. Coming from a fairly dry part of the world, I never really thought much about humidity and the effects of wet air before. It seemed strange when people would exclaim about "85 degrees, and *85%* humidity!" I had no concept of what that felt like - how was that substantially different than just 85 degrees?

Hmmm - well! Since moving to the tropics, I have definitely seen what all the fuss is about! Humidity makes a difference. Still, it's funny when people say it "feels like" 120 degrees. Really, it "feels like" 90 degrees and 87% humidity. But then you realize it's all about the warnings - be careful of heat stroke, stay out of the heat, etc. I definitely took advantage of the cool pool when the heat and humidity spiked :-).

The thing I would like to see is some way to relate to cooler temperatures with high humidity. For example, in rainy season, my area very often is 70 degrees, with the humidity at 75% - that doesn't feel hotter, it feels clammy - aka yucky!

Asian Groceries to Your Door

2010-07-06T21:50:00.004-06:00

If you enjoy Asian cooking, you will *love* "Super Sony" in San José! It is an Asian market *full* of delightful foods - prepared sauces, spices, dried mushrooms, interesting candies, umpteen types of rice, wasabi, fresh eggplant, tofu, soy cheeses...

If you need chopsticks, steamers, soup spoons, or whatever, they have that too. Oh! and an *enormous* wok! at *least* a yard in diameter - c75.000 and it's yours!

For my friends living in Costa Rica who can't (or just don't want to) get into San José often, this joy will take your grocery list via phone or email, and send your goodies to you - anywhere in the country! While you would probably want to make at least a first trip in to see what is possible, all you need to do* for deliveries is:
1) call or email your list (English or Spanish) to Carolina:
22.21-12.48
or
carolina REMOVE_THIS [at] supersony [dot] com
2) they will reply with a price and date available, and money transfer info
3) transfer money to them
4) wait for you goodies to arrive!

* my caveat - I haven't done this, since I live near enough (and don't need stuff that often)

To get there, go 350 m South of the National Theatre on Calle 3. It's on the left, between Ave 8 and Ave 10.

I went today, and this evening's dinner was a fabulous Chicken and Veggies in Garlic Black Bean Sauce - to die for!

Green Mango Chicken

2010-07-06T18:31:00.003-06:00

When I made Mango Chicken once, a Tica was surprised that I had used ripe mango - and I thought, "hmmm, I wonder what the alternative would be..."
Well, I finally decided to try it - Green Mango Chicken - it is *very* different! But still good :-)

Green Mango Chicken

Saute in a large pan:
- Butter
- Soy oil
- 1 large green mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
add:
- cubed chicken
- enough water for sauce
- handful of celery
- handful of green onion
- 1/2 handful of culantro
- dash of garam masala
- dash of garlic
- dash of black pepper
- a lot of ginger
- diced green beans

Serve over rice.

Sabana Estadio Bus - San Jose

2010-07-01T22:59:00.005-06:00

I had a short day of school yesterday, so I took a long-anticipated scouting trip on the Sabana Estadio bus! It took about an hour, and I saw part of San Jose that I haven't seen much of before, including a nice view of the new stadium being built.
I just missed a bus at 11:05, but caught one at 11:10 - I'm not sure if that says anything conclusive about the schedule, though. That was across the street from the National Gymnasium, and in front of the Libreria Universal (Sabana Sur). At 11:25, we stopped in downtown San Jose, in front of the Banco Popular, across the avenida from the National Theatre. Turned out this was the terminal (marked w/ a double cross on the map below), and we all had to get off the bus. I hopped on the next outgoing bus, and we rounded the caja and headed West. We were back at the east end of La Sabana park by 11:55, and passed the stadium a couple of minutes after noon. (I think) because this was noon, my bus took an alternate route (marked by "A" on the map), and bypassed the Libreria Universal at 12:12.
By 12:32, I was back at the Banco Popular terminal, and headed downtown to meet Rick for lunch :-).

After all this time, thinking that we were missing out on a perfect bus route, it was actually nice to know that we weren't really missing much. But it is still good to know a new route!
(oh yeah, one ride = c160, or about 30 cents)

Culture: Art, Music, Language, and Buses

2010-06-22T14:41:00.003-06:00

Thursday was a banner day for Culture, in all it's forms!

I had a day of ART planned with a friend on the other side of the Central Valley, so I caught a bus into San José bright and early (but not too early!). I walked through downtown (stopping for pastries) to the Alajuela bus terminal, and caught the parando (the one that stops more often). I'm hoping it was only the temporary effect of learning another new language, but I had quite a time making myself understood (sigh, not usually this much of a problem). I wanted to have the bus driver point out to me the different stops in San José, so that the next time, I could perhaps catch the bus along my route, instead of going to the terminal. Well, we finally got all that straightened out, and he did in fact point out the *perfect* bus stop for me! (it's unbelievable how excited I get about figuring out new bus options) So, next time I need to get to Alajuela, I will take the Sabana Cementerio bus (from near Fischel) West to just past the Coca-Cola / Puriscal terminal, down Avenida 1. When I see the "Vida" funeral parlor, I'll get off, walk North one block, and catch the Alajuela bus in front of the "La Estrada" market.

Once I got my bus information, I settled in for the ride by doing my French homework :-). It had been a while since I'd been in Alajuela, but I was still able to find the Grecia bus easily. I hopped on, and we left in a few minutes (8:55 - it leaves every 25 minutes). Half an hour later, I am with my friend, drinking coffee, and getting ready to paint!

I wasn't sure what I would work on, so I had brought pretty much everything - I ended up trying out my new watercolors, and learned a bit more about what I like, and what works for me. It was a lovely, sunny day, *and* it wasn't over!

I caught the 3:26 bus (*so* precise!) back to Alajuela, then San José, and *just* got to the National Theatre in time for my 5:00 concert with Rick. I half-ran the half block, and felt lucky that it hadn't started yet - found out later that the Thursday concerts actually start at 5:10 :-|.

The concert was amazing! It was an hour of pure delight, with just a piano and saxophone. The pieces they chose were *all* "my kind" - romantic, rich, lush... But mainly it was so moving because the saxophonist had such a fabulous tone. I obviously don't have enough superlative words to describe it (drat these new languages)...

If you get a chance, definitely give them a listen.
The program: "Arias y Sonatas"
Piano: Federico Molina Campos
Saxophone: Harold Guillén Monge
Composers: Taktakishvili, Creston, Brouquieres, Ibert, Ravel, Tcherepnine

New Cone on Arenal Volcano

2010-06-04T16:45:00.002-06:00

Apparently, Arenal *does* look a little bit different since the recent activity! Here is a short article about it, with a picture of the new cone. I don't think my pictures from our March trip show this area tho.

I Feel All Sparkly!

2010-06-03T17:49:00.003-06:00

My house is soooo clean! We have been in this apartment since September, and we finally have a housekeeper - and it feels so good!
I had last week off from school, and so I attacked my "to-do" list. I talked to my neighbor to see if they knew of anyone they would recommend for a housekeeper, and they really liked theirs. They told me all kinds of information about their experience with her - how much you have to explain, how trustworthy she is, how much they pay, how fast she is, and how well she cleans. They even offered to help with Spanish / English when we first talked to her!
Well, we talked to her, in Spanish :-), earlier this week, and we all agreed that she would clean our place too.
Today, she worked and worked and worked - I have a clean stove, and fridge, polished furniture, and shiny floors. Even the *windows* are dirt-free!
I'm going to enjoy my retirement this afternoon - tomorrow, I have school again ;-S.

Assorted Tasks

2010-05-29T13:26:00.004-06:00

I've had a few assorted tasks hanging on, and I finally got them done (whew!).

- updated my brownie recipe post! Many thanks to Eleonora for correcting my Spanish!

- got my kitchen gas refilled. I have 2 canisters, so I never have to worry about running out of gas part-way through a meal (or cookies! what a disaster that would be!). *But!* I waited so long to refill my primary, that my back-up tank was threatening to die. So much for "the system." Always before, I had lugged the empty canister to the grocery store, and taxied back with a full one. Sometimes the grocery story didn't have one, so I had to return. Ugh. This time (!!) I tried calling Tropigas directly - they have a home delivery service that is *excellent!* Wish I'd known about it earlier... Basically, any time between 7am and 7pm, Monday through Saturday, you can call 800-876-7442. They will take your address and phone number, ask what size tank, tell you the price (same as in the stores), ask what denomination of cash you will pay with (so they can bring the right change), and show up *soon!* My guy came within the hour!

- talked to a guy about building a kitchen island. Our neighbor is replacing her tile (noisy, ugh), and her contractor is good. So, we'll see what he can do - he's pretty busy though, so I don't expect he'll be able to do anything for a while.

- inquired about a housekeeper. Hopefully, we'll talk to her on Tuesday, and have a clean house forever more :-s.

- checked up on my permanent residency. No-go; need to call back next week. sigh.

- got art supplies! After scoping out Lehman's on Tuesday, I went back after my trial run to Sabana Sur, and got **stuff!**

Trial Run

2010-05-29T12:58:00.006-06:00

I start my new French class Monday (yeah, Memorial Day - gasp! Not a holiday here...). My new class is 3 days per week, for 3 hours each day. AND it is all the way on the other side of town! Shades of work in the Bay Area - it will take me about an hour to get there. I am quite sure that I will have a few bouts of "cranky" before it is over.

Yesterday, I made a trial run of the trip:
- 7:55 left my house, walked to the Escalante bus stop. Waited. Waited some more. Discussed w/ my fellow waiter how long a wait it was. Waited some more.
- 8:15 got on the bus! Driver drove like he was late (he was. very.).
- 8:30 bus is at the downtown San Jose terminus. Walked back 1/2 block to the Sabana Cementerio bus.
- 8:33 Sabana Cementerio bus left (with me on it, of course). Noticed that the next Escalante bus was already at the terminus.
- 8:54 SC bus is at Yamuni stop in Sabana West. Walked back 1/2 block, and South 2 1/2 blocks. Made sure to not walk fast, since I'm measuring "normal."
- 9:01 walked into the Alliance Française in Sabana Sur. If I had had class, I would have been a touch late.

The very lovely Amalia gave me a tour and explained where the class information would be posted on Monday. This branch of the Alliance Française is a bit different than the one downtown. It has 3 floors of classrooms (~8), a gathering place w/ tables, and a snack machine. But there is no coffee (ack!), no cafeteria, and no library. Why do I feel another cranky session coming on?

Mini-vacation

2010-05-29T10:15:00.005-06:00

I had a week and a half off between French classes - what to do, what to do...

First and foremost, I *relaxed!* Then I made a list. Then I ignored the list. Except the "relax" part.

I did do a few things here and there - saw the dentist, kept my "French Story-hour" with Ann-Marie on Skype, and went to the Feria.

On Monday, Rick and I ventured into downtown San Jose for lunch. I wanted to see if my grades had been posted, and we wanted to pick up some tickets in advance for Tuesday's Mediodia concert. Well, no grades yet, so I couldn't sign up for the next class, but we got pretty good seats for the concert! I usually go about half an hour before the concert, and get nose-bleed seats (still definitely worth it)!

Tuesday was a big day for relaxing :-). Our friend Linda was checking out the bus system from her house near Grecia into San Jose, so I met her on the West side of town. Her bus took much less time than expected, and mine took much more - so she waited quite a while :-(. But, then we toured San Jose by bus - Sabana Cementerio bus from Sabana park to the Caja, then walked from the National Theatre to Lehman's. We spend a nice chunk of time browsing through the art supplies - got all excited by the glass staining paint, water color choices, art paper... Had time to notice that the first floor has a *lot* of books. Saw that there was a very decent selection of staples, paper, drawing tools, and other school and computer supplies. We left Lehman's just in time to make it back to our seats at the National Theatre. We met Rick there, the lights dimmed, and the jazz music burst forth! Afterwards, we decided to have lunch at a soda near the Alliance Française. It's a good one - convenient, good food, and a good deal (lunch is half the price of the place next to the Jade museum) - hard to find downtown...

After lunch, I checked again for my grades - they are posted! and I PASSED! So, I immediately signed up for the next session :-).

We spent the rest of the afternoon back at our place having an early cafecito. Then Linda and I headed back to the Alajuela bus terminal, stopping for peanut butter on the way. After all kinds of discussions about which bus is good for what destination, I zoned on the wrong bus - ended up 4 blocks in the wrong direction!

I Have a Dentist!

2010-05-20T15:49:00.006-06:00

People who know me know that I have a near-phobia-level fear of dentistry. There are huge chunks of my life - years long - that have been dentist-free, and NOT because I have great teeth...

Well, I had a great dentist in California, but since we began our slow move to Costa Rica, I have only been a couple of times - and those were more in the first couple of years. So, it took losing a filling here to make a call, and find a new dentist. I was very lucky - Rick had already been to this guy, and he had kept his eye out for whether he would work for me too. I called about a week ago for an appointment, and since I had no pain, and also had school finals coming up, I was happy to wait a bit to see the dentist :-|.

Today, I walked (yes, walked! he's very close.) to the dentist. I spent about 15 minutes filling out new-patient forms, then an entire hour with the hygienist. She was very careful around the lost filling site, and watched for my signs indicating pain or a need to spit. She used both the electric cleaning thing (a symptom of my phobia, I guess - I can't remember what it's called), and manual scraping. Got a thorough cleaning and polish, followed by a fluoride treatment.

Then Dr. Jimenez came in and introduced himself. He listened to my fears (thankfully by now I know exactly what scares me, and what I need from a dentist to alleviate those fears). He explained exactly what he would do. He asked about any problems, did the exam, and gave me the choice of returning for the filling or doing it right then. I opted for the latter - do it while you have the courage, right?

Throughout the entire procedure, he did exactly what I needed, and explained as he went. He even avoided using the word "shot" (fear #1)! I got a triple-level of numbing - a topical, then a "dot" (eyes closed, so I don't know exactly what that entailed), then the final "numbing" (aka the afore-un-mentioned shot). I got x-rays in between the two final stages - and managed to dribble on the bib ;-S.

Between the first two numbing stages, he polished the edge off another filling that had a small chip. He was very careful to explain that I wouldn't feel any pain, and was surprised that the drill wasn't one of my fears. Something like 85% of people fear the drill and/or the sound of the drill.

On top of the hour of cleaning, I spent another hour with my new dentist. I am so happy to finally get back on a dental schedule! I told him - and I meant it - that he is the third dentist in my entire life that I trust. I know exactly who I will go to if I have a tooth problem!

Furniture!

2010-04-28T15:15:00.006-06:00

We got our furniture today! That is, we got a couch and loveseat :)

We have been "looking" for furniture almost since the day we moved in, in September - that's of 2009 :(. There were soooo many hurdles!

First, you have to find furniture stores - but how? The "yellow pages" in Costa Rica are not really very useful - there are not very many entries, and not many people use them. It's a vicious cycle. So, you ask around, and you keep your eyes open.

Then, you have to get to the stores - this is a bit difficult without a car. You have to have more exact directions, since you don't want to walk for miles in fruitless search of that "recommended" store that is "somewhere near the National Theatre" (hah!). I think our record was getting to 3 different stores in one day. The "other" record was walking for 15 blocks without finding that recommended store :-(.

Next, you have to separate out the wheat from the chaff (as always). We started out with one idea of what we wanted, and marched right through the spectrum of choices, clear to the other side! We knew comfort was important, but it turned out it was the single most important element for us - who knew? Everything else took a back seat. Fortunately, our apartment has large enough rooms that it can accommodate the big, fluffy stuff that have parts that stick out. I'm talking about overstuffed recliners...

Normally (that should probably be in quotes), this wouldn't take months and months, right? Well, lucky us (especially Rick), Rick twisted his ankle pretty badly in October, and so he was housebound for several months. We learned a looooong time ago not to make major household purchases without *both* of us being very involved. So, we put the whole furniture-shopping experience on hold. We did decide that we needed some rocking chairs, and knew that the leather and wood folding kind would work for us, so I went to Sarchi one day and got a couple. We were able to get back out looking for the serious furniture this past month. It took several more forays, but then - yesterday - we (yay!) found what we needed!

And they delivered it **TODAY!**

Tropical Chicken Lasagna

2010-04-24T21:29:00.002-06:00

I enjoyed the Flor de Itabo omelet, so I decided to see what the flowers would be like in other things! I put some raw in a salad - good too! So, ambition struck :-)...

Tropical Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients:
- 1/2 kg chicken breast
- sauce (see below)
- packet lasagna noodles
- 2 zucchini
- 2 cups raw Flor de Itabo (flowers only), rinsed
- handful of fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 package ricotta cheese (if unavailable, mix 2 eggs w/ queso en polvo)
- 1/4 kg maduro cheese
- 1/4 kg palmito and/or tierno cheese
- cheese en polvo

Directions:
1) Cook chicken in a little water, then tear into small bite-sized pieces
2) In a 9x13 inch pan:
- coat w/ a little oil (optional)
- add a thin layer of sauce
3) Layer w/ the following (I can usually only get in 2 layers):
- raw lasagna noodles
- sauce
- Flor de Itabo
- basil
- sliced zucchini
- cheese: ricotta, maduro, palmito, tierno
4) Cover w/ aluminum foil (I like to stick a toothpick in at either end to keep the foil from sticking to the lasagna)
5) Bake at 350F for 45 - 55 minutes
6) Remove foil, bake another 5-10 minutes to brown the top
7) Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes, then cut to serve

Serve w/ cheese en polvo, and any remaining sauce

Sauce - Cook and stir to thicken, about 5 minutes:
- 2 packets "Pollo de la Reina" white sauce mix
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp oil (optional)

Symphony at the National Theater

2010-04-18T14:04:00.003-06:00

I am *definitely* going back! This morning, I went to the National Theater to see the symphony - when those first phrases of cello drifted up, I cried. I am trying to remember the last time I went to *any* symphony, and can't - but it has been at least 10 years.

On the program today: Schubert Symphony #8, Haydn Concerto for trumpet and orchestra, Proto A Carmen Fantasy for Trumpet and Orchestra, Mendelssohn Symphony Italiana.

Giuseppe Mega was the guest conductor, and he was very dynamic! He moved all over his dais, and I think I even heard a little stomp or two from his feet :).

The guest trumpeter was Jens Lindemann, a Canadian living in California. What a character! He came out for the Haydn wearing a sparkly electric-blue blazer, and preened (what else to call it?) for the audience. That was just a hint of what was to come. After the intermission, he wore bright red! What else should he have worn for Carmen? Fantastic trumpeting, preening, and - on top of all that - he got the orchestra to shout OLÉ on cue! THEN, he got the *audience* to do it! He mugged, walked around the stage while playing, and blew a "trumpet kiss" during the piece. And after that, he played an encore! He got his new friend Carlos, a bass fiddler, to come out from the orchestra, and together they played the jazz tune "Sugar Blues." What a treat :-D

Logistics: I caught the Escalante bus a bit after 9:35, got to the National Theater shortly after, bought my "cheap-seat" ticket for c3,000 (about $6), and was sitting in my place by 10:00. By about 10:20, the place was nearly full - just a few seats on the edges were unfilled. The symphony started a bit after 10:30, and was over at about 12:30. I know you can call or stop by for reservations (I didn't do this, but may in the future).

Next symphony: Friday, April 30 @ 8:00pm and Sunday, May 2 @ 10:30am - Berlioz Condemnation of Faust, Kodaly Harry Jones Suite, Faurè Requiem.

Flor de Itabo

2010-04-17T18:05:00.004-06:00

Went to the Feria today, and finally decided to try the Flor de Itabo! I asked my usual "what is it, and how do you cook it?" and the fab lady said in soup or in an omelet - and only the flower parts, not the stems. Got home and googled for more; found this: Tico Food - Flor de Itaba Omelet