Blogs from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Heredia, Costa Rica, Central America Caribbean - page 3

Plenty hot but today we have lovely breezes cooling our office. The mornings are so cheerful, bright dappled sunlight in the garden around the Learning Centre. It was my turn to cook yesterday, and I remember my first turn, when I was attempting to open a can of something. I had to dig out my big perennial garden knife I brought with me, as it has huge pointy ends on it. My Tico friend Kattia helped with that, as I am a bit out of practice in safely gouging out a hole in the top of a can. We all suggested that a can opener be ordered, and Kattia said we'd have to give lessons to the Costa Rican women who give the cooking classes on how to operate it. So many times when I go ... read more

I'll just upload some pictures. I can't take the time to resize them, I have to dash out to take my bus in a few mo's. ... read more

One week already at the Sarapiqui Coservation Learning Centre (save me alot of explainin' - go to the site http://www.learningcentercostarica.org/) and it's nothing but fun, A.L style. I am staying at Minerva's house; she has a 24 yr old son Vladimir (I asked, por que the Russian name? She just shrugs. ) and 6 older children. Son Alberto and his wife Wilma and their daughter Nahomi were at Minerva's when I arrived. School holidays began last week for the children, and they were in from San Jose for the weekend. They have considerably more English than I have Spanish It was a long trip, departing at 6:30 am from Toronto and finally putting my head down on the pillow at 10 pm. Costa Rican coffee in the morning, not hard to take. There are 7 volunteers ... read more

In Costa Rica, there is no debate about when schools in Costa Rica take their "spring break." Everyone is off for Semana Santa - the week before Easter Sunday. So, with the boys off school and some friends from Minnesota (Dave, Naomi, Nicole, Abby, and Allison) down for their kids' spring break, we decided to do some traveling. Our first stop was Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. This is located in the north central part of the country, about 2 hours drive from San Jose. The town itself used to be a major inland port for the banana and coffee trade - until they built a railroad to the coastal port city of Limon. On the drive there, we stopped at a little town called La Virgen which has a well-established serpentario (snake zoo!). We walked past ... read more