Saturday Morning in Atenas

Last Saturday, we had breakfast at El Balcón del Café y Bistro, the cafe on the second floor at Atenas Centro. The meals are delicious, the prices reasonable and the owner, Melani, and her staff are so friendly. This time I chose the Tico breakfast - eggs, plantain, gallo pinto, local cheese, coffee and juice.

It's very nice to sit at a table by the balcony railing and watch the activity in the town below. You never know what you will see.

Boyeros and their oxen team.

You can't judge a book by its' cover and a building by its' exterior here. What's important is what and who are inside.

This is the best place to have appliances, etc., repaired. Ask for Gustavio.

Gollo - appliances, motorbikes and all sorts of things for sale here.

El Rayo, the "colone store" as I call it.

 

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Oxcart Parade, Atenas

We had a great time at the oxcart parade on Sunday, April 29, 2012. It was the first one we've ever seen.

I even made a video and you can see it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhMRpmpNadg.

Six of us met up at Gely's, a good restaurant on the west side of the central park and always the best place to view parades and also have lunch or dinner. There were lots of things going on in the park, too. I bought another orchid for my growing collection.

Gely's

The parade started on time and ran smoothly. The oxen are magnificent beasts, each pair matched perfectly in size and color. The carts are beautifully painted, as are the yokes. One pair had huge oiled horns with gold tips. Another pair had small ribbons on the horns in the Costa Rican flag colors.

As each pair and their boyero approached the judging stand, they stopped for photos and the boyero's name and where he/she was from was announced. They came from all over the country.

Brahma ox team

Hand painted carts

My favorite team

Climate Fair and Parade of the Boyeros, Atenas

This coming weekend in Atenas is the Climate Fair and the Parade of the Boyeros (oxcart drivers). This will be the first time we've seen the oxcarts so we are looking forward to it and I'll take lots of photos.

From Friday through to Sunday there will be many different activities held in the Parque Central de Atenas - DJ music, dancing, the boyero (oxcart driver) parade, food - something for everyone.

The oxcarts have a long and interesting history in Costa Rica.

Also on Sunday is the grand opening fiesta of CC's Chinese International Restaurant and Bar, in front of the  Plaza de Deportes (Sports Plaza) de Barrio Los Angeles. We're going to drop in here also because they are offering a special all day buffet and I just have to see what they will be offering!

Totally unrelated to all these activities, here is one of the sweet peppers growing in my little garden:

I picked it today - it had turned a lovely red shade.

And, finally, here is a nice spider that needs to be identified! It was on our patio.