Odds and Ends

One thing I'd see quite often were small musical groups who played in the pedestrian parkway.  The gentleman in front with the long cylindrical instrument danced all over the place as he played it.  One day, when I passed the group, there were couples dancing in the street having fun.  They also had a basket for people who donated money to them.

Currently, this building is a theater but originally it was associated with the military.  I believe he indicated it was the first barracks or something similar before it became a theater for operas and shows.  The outside sign advertised the coming of Madame Butterfly.  This is located by the huge Cathedral.

This is where the military moved to from the first building.  There are bullet holes in the side from the civil war that happened back in the 1940's.  According to the tour guide, the president in office in 1948 didn't want to give up his position to the newly elected candidate who had served immediately before him.  The rich convinced the president and the army to keep control but the rightfully elected president and his people overthrew them and he took control.  Then he abolished the military and established a large police force.  The bullet holes in this building are from that brief 40 day revolution in which 2000 people died.  This building is now a national museum and people are proud they do not have a standing army.

The president eliminated the army and used the money to establish free education including college, free medical, pensions, and wanted to make sure that everyone had a job.  The guide told us that the government encourages small business owners which is why there are few large businesses.  The building above with the yellow top is the state insurance company to whom people pay about 9% of their monthly earnings.  In return, they get free medical and a retirement pension.  

What you see in the above photo is the new congress building being constructed.  Right now, the lawmakers are meeting in several different places and this building will put them all in one place.  there is another building being built off to the right, just past the edge of the photo.  That building is going to be the new Supreme Court building.  They hope to finish both within the next year.

This is the cultural plaza for people to provide music, dances, and all sorts of fun things.  Its just next to the National Theater, the Grand Hotel, and above the Museum Or or Gold Museum.  The tour guide said all sorts of cultural activities happen here.

This is my last post on Costa Rica.  I have enjoyed my visit and I plan to go back some day to check out the other side of the country.  I read where Costa Rica is rated number one for happiness in Latin America and twelfth world wide for happiness.  The only issue I had was that my Spanish is quite limited but that didn't stop me from managing to enjoy myself, shop, or communicate.   If you know any Spanish, brush up on it before you go.

By the time you read this, I'll be in Los Angeles at a conference where I'm presenting on two topics.  I hope you enjoyed the series on things to see in Costa Rica.  There is so much more to see but I didn't have time and that is one reason I need to go back.

Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Radishes, Dogs, Skateboards, and Kid Packs Oh My!

Radishes, Dogs, Skateboards and Kid Packs all on a summer's morn.  I went to town to visit the Farmers Market and pick up a few things before I head off to Portland.  The list you see, are some of the things that jumped out at me during the round trip or was walking home from the gas station.

The Farmers Market opened at 11 and I was at the Mexican place getting a bunch of home made chile and cheese tamales.  I picked up some extra to take with me so I'd have something good for breakfast.  As I wondered around the market, I noticed a booth with a chef from the Pump House Restaurant showing how to use local produce showing what can be used from the vegetables.

  The two ingredients they focused on today - radishes and scallions.  Did you know the leaves of the radish are edible?  I didn't know that at all.  it totally surprised me because I've always seen people throw the leaves in the compost pile.

According to the chef's there, radish greens are a spicy just like arugula and its advised you take the spine out just like you do for kale.  Radish greens can be used in any recipe calling for greens.  So next week, I'm going to try cooking with radish greens.

The other thing is that you can cook with radishes.  You don't even have to peel them, just wash the radish, chop, up and cook in soups or anything else you want.  I've used radish in kimchi but never in much of anything else.  I'm going to look into all the ways I can cook with radishes.

Then while strolling through the Farmers Market I ran across this mom with her child in a protected backpack.  I've seen backpacks for carrying your child but not one as fancy and protective as this!

The carrier has a built in umbrella to shade the child and a surrounding screen to keep all the bugs and mosquitoes off  There is a little opening for the child's face.  I have never seen anything like that.  She told me she got it from R.E.I. that morning!  The child looked quite happy and comfortable in it.

When I had kids, we kept them on our hips, used tons of sunscreen, and hoped we could keep their hats on.  This keeps her hands free so she can shop and it does not throw her hips out of whack due to having the child sit on one hip all the time.

  On the way home, between the old garage and the top of the hill, there was a guy on a skateboard working his way towards town.  He'd give his board a couple strokes so it moved forward while at the same time he was sweeping the bike path clear.  He'd brush to the left and then to the right repeating the process as he rolled down the path.  It was kind of cute and something new.

The last encounter took place between the gas station and the fire station.  I was walking along and from behind me came a dog, maybe a Labrador, carrying something wrapped in plastic followed by his owner on a bike.  Turns out they regularly bike from their house to the gas station to pick up something so both get exercise.

I sped up, he slowed down  so we could talk about things in general.  At one point the dog trotted off to get a drink of water from a puddle of water.  he dropped the package in the water, drank, picked it up and trotted off again.  This was the reason, the owner always had his purchases wrapped in a plastic bag.

We even talked about the distillery in terms of can you call something a rum if it doesn't have sugar cane but uses barley instead.  He said he thought about making single malt from the barley but wasn't sure you could still call it scotch.  About then he peeled off and I continued another two blocks to home.

It was a cool day and lots of fun.