Blogs from Heredia, Costa Rica, Central America Caribbean - page 25

So, the next installment of our busy week… As I mentioned in a caption of a picture of the last blog, we did have an impromptu Super Bowl Party - complete with nachos, pizza and beer - and we were lucky to have beer. This is something I should have included in our Election Day Episode: For 3 days leading up to and including Election Day, alcohol sales are not permitted anywhere in the country. That’s right - from Friday morning (well, really from midnight Thursday night) to midnight Sunday night, no alcohol sales. At the supermarkets the liquor shelves are covered with sheets of plastic and refrigerated case doors are closed with government seals. Most bars just stay closed. Of course Costa Ricans know all about this and stock up ahead of time. We didn’t ... read more

One week down and moving into the second... After the first day of school, Ari said, “One day was enough. I don’t want to go back.” Now after a week is done, I think he really likes it (although we don’t get more than an “it’s ok” out of him, you can tell that he does). He comes home dirty (from playing at recess) and smiling everyday. The other night at dinner he said, “There are some things that are better , some things that are worse and some things that are just different.” The things that are better are what you’d expect - 2 recesses per day, gym twice per week (instead of once), ½ day every Wednesday. Things that are just different - here they provide snacks and lunch for everyone every day; in ... read more

So, I thought I’d try my hand at writing a journal entry since Mark relinquished his “adventuring” responsibilities last week while he spent a week back in the US for work. This is Dara. How did the rest of the family hold up in Costa Rica with my improving, but still very limited, Spanish skills? Well, pretty well (if I do say so myself). The biggest mistake I’ve made so far has been asking for a bathroom (servicio) when I really wanted a beer (cerveza)…a little embarrassing, but that was a long time ago already (at least 4 or 5 weeks anyway!) So while Mark was away, the kids and I entertained ourselves by going to the park and blowing bubbles and chasing pigeons (the kids did the chasing), taking art class (just the kids), doing ... read more

Hola. Finally, I had the chance to see the beautiful side of Costa Rica. The school I am at, Centro Panamericano de Idiomas ( CPI), offers many excursions to places in Costa Rica. This week I took a 'jungle cruise' to Sarapiqui. After an 1 hour and 1/2 ride on what is one of the main roads from Puerto Limon, a road that would be deemed impassable in my neck of the woods, we arrived at a swift flowing green and brown colored river. Boat safety? I think not. No life preservers were offered nor none in evidence. I felt better when the guide told us the river at present was only a meter deep. I felt worse when she told us that it is also full of crocodiles. I'm sure my nice tender and meaty ... read more

Ever wonder what is out past where the road ends? Well, that is where we spent Christmas weekend. If you look on a map of Costa Rica, in the northern part of the country near Nicaragua from the middle of country out to the Caribbean there is a big area that has no roads. This area is called Las Llanuras or the plains. As the name implies, it is relatively flat and a high water table makes any low spots swampy. It is banana, pineapple and cow country. It took us about 4 hours to get there - 2 hours to get 90% of the distance (along the main roads that run NW-SE along the northern side of the central range of mountains) to Puerto Viejo de Saripiqui, and then 2 hours to go about 15 ... read more