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.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Puerto Viejo Again :-)
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 ---
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.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Manuel Antonio!
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.
Our first glimpse of the beach...
--- 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.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
March 13 - National Oxcart Driver Day
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!
Monday, March 7, 2011
No Gas!!!
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...
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!
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:
Thankfully, they included amazing sunsets!
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.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Something New...
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).
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