Christmas is over and we are close to entering a new year. Where we live near Grecia, the current temperature at 10:54 am (December 28) is 76F/24C, breezy, a bit hazy and there is a lovely sweet scent in the air from something blooming.
The hot, arid weather at this time of year encourages many plants to bloom. Our avocado tree has many flowers on it as does the lime tree. The avocado did not bloom last year so I’m looking forward to our own fruits from this tree (yes, the avocado is technically a fruit).
One of my orchids is blooming - the epidenacium stanfordia:
We solved one mystery recently. We have been hearing the sounds of something on our metal roof at night and in the early morning. Metal roofs make loud noises!
Well, it turns out it wasn’t Santa and his reindeer but two young neighbour dogs. Our house is on a slope and they can easily leap from the lawn of the neighbours behind us and onto the roof.
For Christmas eve dinner, we ordered from Pizza House as usual:
Recently, we had breakfast at Donde Mae, a small restaurant in Grecia that makes the best Denver omelettes and fresh fruit smoothies. While waiting for our orders, I made a short video of the activities on the street outside.
On December 8, 9 and 10, 2023, this annual event (JIT for the Holidays) was held at Calle 2 Plaza in Atenas and was sponsored by Galería Atenas.
10% of all sales were donated to Rescate Animales Atenas, the Atenas Cruz Roja (Red Cross), Animales Atenas and the Atenas Food Bank.
I had five paintings on display. Here are two of them:
“Roseate Spoonbill/Platelea ataja”. 3’x4’. Acrylic on wrapped canvas. Photo reference courtesy of Daniel Montiel Corea.
“Any Old Pony in a Storm”, acrylic on wrapped canvas. Photo reference courtesy of Shannon Ready.
You can view all of my art at my art website here.
During the show, we stayed at Hotel Colinas del Sol, which is within walking distance to Atenas. Our room had a king bed, internet, and a kitchenette with microwave, coffee maker and mini refrigerator. Outdoor patio with chairs and tables.
There is a restaurant on site and a substantial breakfast is included with the room rate. We also had our evening meals here.
The grounds are extensively planted with tropical plants and trees. We highly recommend this hotel.
Lance enjoying a libation on our patio.
Poinsettia
We left Atenas early on the last day of the fair because our town of Grecia was preparing for their annual Christmas parade and we have to drive through Grecia to get to our house. Good thing we did because roads were being closed as we arrived in town.
Here is a link to a video of the parade. It is over 4 hours long but you can scroll back and forth to choose what you want to watch.
During November, visits to this blog were received from the following 11 countries:
Each country is followed in brackets by the total number of visits received since records first started to be kept in November 2012.
From the time I started to keep track, the total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 135. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions - e.g. Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States from which 12 visits have been received.
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The following is a summary of weather for November in the area where we live:
Towards the end of the month the upcoming dry season was signaled on two days by some very strong trade winds. They were persistent - beginning in the small hours of each morning and continuing well into substantially cloudless days. Rainfall during the month was significantly less than the same month last year.
December 8, 9 and 10, 2023 are the dates for the Just in Time For The Holidays Art and Artisanal Feria in Atenas.
I will have some of my art work displayed and for sale. You can see my paintings here.
Unrelated to the art show, here is a link to the November/December 2023 issue of El Residente. This magazine is produced by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR) and always has interesting articles and useful information. We have been members for many years.
A few days ago, while Lance and I were sitting on our patio, we heard the bell ring at our patio gate. We were a bit taken aback having no idea who it might be. At the time, we were not expecting anybody.
Also, we could not see who was at the gate. Our patio wraps around two sides of the house and we were on the wrong side to see who was there. It could be anyone: a friend, a neighbour, a street vendor, somebody wanting a donation for whatever purpose, somebody wanting to "share" their religion or whoever.
Nevertheless, Lance was somehow motivated to get off his butt and see who was ringing the bell. What then unfolded says a lot about the health care system in Costa Rica.
The person at the gate, whom I shall call "Doctor N" in respect for his privacy, flashed his credentials and identified himself as a doctor affiliated with EBAIS which is a foundation of the universal health care system in Costa Rica. He then began talking to Lance in Spanish using words which quickly surpassed Lance's ability to understand (and would also have surpassed my ability).
Our fluency in Spanish is limited. When this kind of situation occurs, our normal reply is to say "Lo siento, mi español es malo" (I am sorry, my Spanish is bad) or "Lo siento, mi español es muy pobre" (I am sorry, my Spanish is very poor). When Lance said one or the other of these phrases, Doctor N immediately switched to very fluent English.
He explained that somebody nearby in our neighbourhood had come down with dengue fever. This is a potentially serious malady spread by mosquitos. He indicated that he and some colleagues had been tasked with visiting every household in the neighbourhood to determine first and foremost whether everybody including ourselves were OK, then to warn about the situation, and to advise to get rid of any areas around our households where water might collect and provide a breeding ground for the culprit mosquitos.
This was all taking some time and motivated me to get off my own butt, go to the gate, and see what Lance and Doctor N were talking about. I decided that my first task was to unlock and open the gate to create a more conversational atmosphere. Lance was asking questions and further discussion ensued.
Turned out that Doctor N is a U.S. citizen from Arizona. If I understood correctly, he is presently practicing as part of an intern program in Costa Rica. But his ultimate objective is to return to the U.S. or perhaps Canada and establish a general practice. In the case of the U.S., he indicated that the only prerequisite for admission to practice once he was done in Costa Rica would be to pass some sort of exam. He did not indicate what prerequisite might be required in the case of Canada. But it appears that the bar may be very low at the present time: see "How to immigrate to Canada as a doctor". This is definitely not to suggest that Doctor N is looking for a low bar.
Doctor N was very conscientious. Now in my presence, he repeated his question to Lance. Is everybody OK? I could not resist complaining about my gimpy left knee with the damaged tendon. He was happy to have a look at it and gave me the same advice and treatment suggestions as I am getting from my orthopaedic doctor. His colleagues standing at the top of the driveway began to shout that it was time to move on. A free consult! Plus, he was young and cute with great teeth.
Click here to read an article (in Spanish, unless you have a translator on your computer or other device) that further serves as a typical example of the Costa Rican health care system. On November 7, a specialized transport team left Costa Rica for Panama to airlift an elderly Costa Rican with a broken hip. On board were an emergency specialist doctor, a respiratory therapist and a nurse. I wonder if the Canadian health care system would airlift me from Costa Rica if I had a broken hip …. nah. .
During October, visits to this blog were received from the following 11 countries:
Each country is followed in brackets by the total number of visits received since records first started to be kept in November 2012.
From the time I started to keep track, the total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 135. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions - e.g. Martinique, an Overseas Department and Region of France from which one visit has been received.
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The following is a summary of weather for October in the area where we live:
Except for the fact that the rainfall in October was a bit more than last year (contrary to previous months this year), the weather in October was not particularly remarkable. We got at least some rain every day except one. When it did rain, it most often occurred in the afternoons, evenings and overnight. Upper and lower temperatures were completely comfortable and, unlike some regions in Costa Rica, did not invite any need for heating or air conditioning.
The rainy season in Costa Rica will likely continue for at least another month. Typically, the time to get shopping or other business done during this period while avoiding the rain will be before noon.
After breakfast at Kay’s Cafe Pequeña Polonia in Atenas, we decided to drive to PriceSmart in Alajuela for some grocery shopping. This store is very similar to Costco in Canada and the USA.
It was Sunday and the store was packed. Lance was very wise and opted to stay in the car and read. I didn’t linger long and found what I wanted as fast as I could, in spite of those giant shopping carts jamming the aisles. A nice PriceSmart worker put me in a short lineup.
We did a dashcam video of our drive for those who may be wondering what the roads and scenery are like. Ignore the date on the video - it is not correct.
Here is a map showing the route we took from Atenas to PriceSmart:
During September, visits to this blog were received from the following 8 countries:
Each country is followed in brackets by the total number of visits received since records first started to be kept in November 2012.
From the time I started to keep track, the total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 135. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions - e.g., Macau, a special administrative region of China from which one visit has been received.
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The following is a summary of weather for September in the area where we live:
As in August, the average daytime high temperature in September was about 2°F (1°C) cooler than for the same period last year, whereas the average overnight low temperature was about 2°F (1°C) warmer. However, total rainfall for the month was only about two-thirds of the amount received last year. If the pattern continues, the total rainfall in 2023 will be substantially less than 2022.
Off Topic
Congratulations to Katalin Karikówho jointly with Drew Weissman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on October 2, 2023. I first mentioned her in my blog post on March 15, 2021: see the part headed “More About the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine”. There, I noted that she had not been receiving the recognition she deserved. Things change!
For our English language reading material, we check out books from the free lending library at Kay’s Cafe Pequeña Polonia in Atenas. We had finished reading all the books we already had from there, so it was time to take a drive from Grecia to Atenas to have breakfast at Pequeña Polonia (“Small Poland” in English) and select some new books and return the old ones.
I wrote about Kay’s Cafe away back in 2011, not long after we moved to Costa Rica. You can read it here.
Here is the breakfast menu:
The prices are in colones. At today’s exchange rate, 1,000 colones translate to about $1.88 USD.
Lance ordered the American breakfast and I chose the special scrambled eggs. I forgot to take photos of the meals but I did take a snap of the decadent cold coffee drink I ordered. That drink was so worth it!
Pequeña Polonia is now carrying Polish smoked sausages and hams made by A Taste of Home - Poland. We bought a kielbasa sausage coil and some ham slices. Excellent quality.
Dashcam video of the drive:
Note: The time and date on the video is incorrect.
Our itinerary:
Turn onto Hwy. 107 and head SW to Grecia.
Into Grecia and downtown to the church.
Downtown Grecia continued and turn onto Hwy. 154 west.
Grecia and Hwy. 154 continued (MasxMenos grocery on right).
Grecia and Hwy. 154 continued (Compre Bien grocery on left).
Grecia outskirts and countryside (Vista Atenas peak in distance. Get off Hwy. 154 onto Hwy. 716.
Pass under Hwy. 1 (Inter-American) and down into the Rio Grande river valley.
Drive over a Bailey bridge, crossing the Rio Grande, then up and up to the top of the valley.
Hwy. 716 continued westward.
Hwy. 716 ends and we drive straight onto Hwy. 135 to Atenas.
Narrow and challenging Hwy. 135 towards Atenas.
Hwy. 135 into Atenas.
In Atenas, stop for jaywalking pedestrians. Arrive at Pequeña Polonia for breakfast, new reading material and more.
During August, visits to this blog were received from the following 11 countries and one unidentified location:
Each country is followed in brackets by the total number of visits received since records first started to be kept in November 2012. The same is true for Unidentified Locations.
From the time I started to keep track, the total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 135. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions - e.g. Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown Dependency from which one visit has been received.
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The following is a summary of weather for August in the area where we live:
The average daytime high temperature was about 2°F (1°C) cooler than for the same period last year, whereas the average overnight low temperature was about 2°F (1°C) warmer.
With regard to rainfall, there was at least some rainfall on many days but the total amount for the month was only about 1/2 that received during the same period last year. Most mornings were marked by broken clouds followed by rain in the afternoons.
I have a lot of orchid plants ….. they are difficult to resist acquiring!
Two are in bloom now.
I think this is Guarianthe Aurantiaca. The orange colour of the blooms is amazing.
This is Phil the Phal (Phalaenopsis)
He has his own name tag:
When we stayed at La Terraza Guest House B&Bin December, 2022, I helped myself to a cutting from a lavender bush growing there. It took a few weeks to root in water and I then potted it up in soil. It’s flowering now and both the flowers and the stems have a wonderful aroma.
When I discovered that Northern Roots offered a mussel dish on their menu, we had to return once more for lunch which we did today. You can read about our first lunch at this restaurant HERE.
I love seafood and especially shellfish. On their menu, my choice is listed as mejillones con chorizo - mussels with chorizo sausage. Lance ordered shrimp with rice, which came with fries and a salad.
We started with a glass each of sangria:
Here is my mussel dish:
The toasted bread was perfect for dipping in the flavourful broth. In the centre of the plate are the chorizo, roasted tomatoes and onions with fresh dill on top. This is my new favourite and I will be ordering it again …. and again.
For dessert, we shared a crème brûlée. It’s so rich and yummy that one portion for two is plenty.
Cost for lunch for two: 23,650 CRC (approximately $44.00 USD).
Added bonus: as we were leaving, a mariachi band arrived and we listened to them for a little while. Here is a video I took of them (the sound quality is not that great):
During July, visits to this blog were received from the following 16 countries, Hong Kong and one unidentified location:
From the time I started to keep track, the total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 135. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions - e.g. Hong Kong which is a Special Administrative Region of China.
** Any single one of the Unidentified Location(s) could be a device that uses an IP address that is not registered to any country, region, or place or that is hidden by a proxy or VPN service. It could also be a device that is not connected to the internet directly, but through a satellite or cellular network that does not provide location information. It is possible that a ship or aircraft, or even the ISS, could use such a device and appear as an unknown location.
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The following is a summary of weather for July in the area where we live:
As is not unusual in July of any year, the ongoing "green" or rainy season included a mini-summer ("verano") with several consecutive days reminiscent of the dry season in Costa Rica (hotter days, cooler nights, no rain). The average daytime high and average overnight low temperatures were both slightly warmer than July 2022.
With regard to rainfall, and as the following chart illustrates, rainfall for the year until the end of July is significantly less (about 50%) than that for the same period in 2022. It will be interesting to see if the pattern persists.
During June, visits to this blog were received from the following 9 countries:
From the time I started to keep track, the total number of countries and non-independent jurisdictions from which visits have been received remains at 135. Of this number, 13 are non-independent jurisdictions - e.g. Guadeloupe - an Overseas Department and Region of France (not included above) from which two visits have been received.
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The following is a summary of weather for June in the area where we live:
The "green season" with at least some rain on most days was in full swing. Most mornings had little or no rain. Most afternoons had at least some rain - on occasion very heavy rain for short periods of time. Temperatures were moderate and generally comfortable. On the hottest day (84°F/28.9°C) the corresponding relative humidity was 64%. This leads to a heat index or "feels like" temperature of 86°F/30°C.
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Off topic
ARCR (Association of Residents of Costa Rica) recently published the 2023 July-August issue of its EL RESIDENTE magazine. Lance and I are members of ARCR.
A PDF version of the magazine can be viewed and/or downloaded HERE. It contains many articles and references which may be of general interest or to those planning a visit or move to Costa Rica.
