Canada Day 2019 in Costa Rica

July 1st is Canada Day or Dominion Day as some people like to call it. It is a federal statutory holiday and celebrates the anniversary of July 1, 1867, the effective date of the Constitution Act.

This year, being Canadians, we received an invitation to a Canada Day celebration, courtesy of the Canadian Club of Costa Rica.

The festivities were held at Café Kivu (formerly Café David) at the highly regarded Zoo Ave (“ave” is Spanish for “bird” not “avenue”) in La Garita. It is not really a zoo but a sanctuary for injured birds and animals, which hopefully can eventually be returned to the wild. It has won awards for the work it is doing. Here is how Café Kivu got its name. The owner is Canadian and he gave a welcoming talk. 

The Chargé d’Affaires from the Canadian Embassy was there. We shared a table with a Canadian couple from Ontario and it turned out they live not far from us. Also met Canadians that I am friends with on Facebook but had never actually met in person. There was live music and prize drawings. The buffet was good, so was the cold beer. We ordered cheesecake with mora on top - excellent. The Costa Rican anthem was played, and then the Canadian anthem. Thanks to Ron Findlay from the Canadian Club for putting this on - and I’m sure there were others too but I don’t have their names.

We had a great time.

Ron Findlay and his hat:

My lunch - breaded fish, vegetables, cucumber salad and plantanos:

Live music - thanks, Frank.

A Red, White and Blue Week

It's a red, white and blue day today in Costa Rica as the Netherlands faces the mighty Costa Rica futbol (soccer) team. In our town of Atenas, flags and banners are everywhere. Taxis are driving around with flags waving from them. People are dressed in Costa Rica t-shirts and the anticipation is palpable. Banco de Costa Rica has a big screen TV with the soccer games on so we can wait for our turn at the teller without missing anything. Everyone is very proud of how far this little country has come in the World Cup.

Even Scruffy is wearing his Costa Rican colors. His colors were also appropriate for Canada Day (July 1st), minus the blue. The Canadian flag is red and white.

 

Scruffy was also dressed appropriately for yesterday's American 4th of July celebrations.

Baron's Resort, #59 Vista Atenas, very kindly hosted a 4th of July BBQ. Guests brought a dish and Baron's provided the BBQ'd hamburgers, hotdogs and condiments. We had a great time, meeting old and new friends and enjoying all the food offerings. Thank you, Jerry. The setting is fantastic with amazing views.

 

Just one of the almost 360 degree views from Baron's Resort.

The glassed in pavilion.

 

Baron's Resort is in the same area we live in (Vista Atenas).

I decided to make red, white and blue strawberries to bring to the BBQ. Neighbor Rose Mary kindly drove me to the new AutoMercado on the Autopista (highway 27). White baking chocolate was nowhere to be found in Atenas but I found two packages at the AutoMercado. Strawberries were no problem ... they are so plentiful in Atenas. I bought 6 pints from the berry vender at 1 mil for 3 pints ($2.00). They were large and ripe.

The plan was to dip a red berry in melted white chocolate, then dip the bottom third in blue sugar. Cool, no? Well, the white chocolate package directions said I could melt it in the microwave. Guess what? White chocolate has a very low burn point and it reaches that in the microwave long before it has melted. There was no saving that first bar. I rigged up a double boiler and managed to get the second bar melted, but it never got to a really liquid stage. I made the blue sugar by mixing white sugar with blue food coloring - here it is called "colorante azul".

I used Lance as a taste tester for the first berry and I had one also. He said it tasted good, then said go look in a mirror at your tongue. Yup - all bright blue. No way we could serve these to anyone. Plan B - just dip the berries in what remained of the white chocolate and forget about a flag theme.

Here's what I ended up taking to the BBQ.

They were almost all gone by the end of the evening so all's well that ends well.

 

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Canada Day Picnic Tomorrow!

The Canadian Club of Costa Rica is hosting a Canada Day Picnic tomorrow, Sunday, June 30, 2013, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm to celebrate Canada's 146th birthday on July 1, 2013.

The location of the picnic is at Quinta Romavista (Atenas), Barrio Mercedes. Admittance at the gate: 2,000 colones. Children 10 and under free.

There will be live music, dancing, swimming, local artisans, a "buy it now" table, a 50-50 draw and, what I am looking forward to, a tug-o-war with the Atenas bomberos! There will also be a silent auction fundraiser, with the proceeds going to Costa Rican schools.

The Canadian Ambassador, Wendy Drukier, will be there. And let's not forget the food - Canadian bacon on a bun, Nanaimo bars, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, etc. will be available for purchase.

Everyone is welcome - this is your chance to be a Canuck for a day!

Directions to Quinta Romavista: From highway 3, turn north at the flashing light (by Biblica Church), go 2 kms, Quinta Romavista is on the left. This is the same facility where the Atenas Chili Cook-Off was held this year.

 

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Canada Day

July 1st - Happy 145th birthday, Canada!