Costa Verde Inn, Escazu  Tel.: (506) 228-4080 or 289-9509 or 289-9591 fax: 289-8592  http://www.costaverdeinn.com           e-mail: inn@costaverde.com

The local high-school students gave a wonderful performance at Ticitia.

My first evening in Costa Rica was spent with the mother and son team of Maxine and Jeff.  We had supper at the Ticicia Mirador.

Jeff & Maxine at the Costa Verde Inn. Luana & Bruce Hinz, whom I convinced that they can also paint, posing with their creations.

March 10-11th, Hotel Rosa del Paseo, San José

I started the program with two days in San José as part of  ISLS The Institute for Spanish Language Studies (Tel. (506) 258-5111), Walter Garrison took good care of me, changing my program to fit my abilities.  Walter Garrison took me on a tour of the city and we enjoyed an visit to the art museum, where a wonderful exhibition of Rafa Fernandez absolutely captivated me.  There were also other very good Costa Rican painters.  Walter was particularly taken by one of them, depicting a forest scene with banana-like trees looming over very small people and light reflecting through the trees.

On Friday, March 11th, Carlen took Jared, Vidia and me to a restaurant/club called Carribenia.  The clientele danced the whole evening.  They were wonderful.  I had a wonderful encounter with a charming couple who seemed very happy dancing together.  I was fascinated by them and smiled to them.  They suddenly stopped dancing, came over to me and asked in Spanish, and then in English whether I dance....I said yes, and the took me to dance with them.  It was fun.  Such wonderful warm people.  I am sorry I did not have my camera with me (was told it was dangerous to carry it around in San José).  At least I can say here:  Thank you Marta Arila and Fernando Quiros.  You are the best ambassadors for Costa Rica.

I stayed with the Martinez family, who have a photography studio and a small restaurant called SODA la U at:  Ciudad Debravo, casa #40,
Frente Escuela UCR-MEP
Turrialba, Cartago
Costa Rica.

Lankester botanical park. 
My wonderful hosts, Yvonne and Rafael Martinez at the orchid display Lankester Botanical garden in Cartago, March 13th, 2005.

Rodrigo (from Brazil, apprenticing to become a Catie Guide and, whose wife is studying at the Catie Research Center) and Jorge, the Catie guide who waited for me at the Soda la U to take me for a tour of the Catie Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center.  After this educational walk, Jorge took me to lunch and back to Soda la U, where I met Iris who took me to see her marvellous garden.  See photos below.

Yo tengo que....

Dr. Michael & Rodrigo.

Tuesday, March 15th.  Henry, one of AEC's teachers who took me to Guayabo.  This was arranged by the kind school manager, Armando, who understood I really wanted to know about the history and nature of Costa Rica. 

Thank You Armando and Thank you Henry.

We had to wear aprons, made a tomato/onion/garlic/Corriander, /tabasco salsa (Michelle Martin was rather generous with the Tabasco), and rice with chicken and vegetables (cut by us into very tiny pieces), we drank wine and sat down to dinner, high and cheerful.  (The menu in Spanish will follow).

On Sunday, March 13th, Yvonne & Rafael took me for a wonderful drive and visit to the Lankester Botanical Garden, and the Irazu volcano.  On our drive back,  we ate at a restaurant with live music and then we stopped at a beautiful Mirador to have pancakes with cream....m m yummy.

The clouds were actually below us during the drive to Irazu.

The mountains, the coffee farms, following trucks full to the hilt with cut sugar cane, cows that graze on steep hills (and don't fall over), beans and cabbages planted in beautiful rows on hill slopes (at almost 90% angles), small houses surrounded by tropical flowers, fruit trees, banana, mango, avocado, organges, sweet lemons....and many more fruits and vegetables.

The 20-minute drive was an experience, going uphill on a rocky road that felt like driving up a dried river.  The food was typical Costa Rican, yummy Patacones and fried Yuca (and cheap too) the view, the original decor, and the floral display gave me wonderful memories.

Thank you Iliana for taking me there!

Just to prove that I was there, I joined the photo next to my favourite river guide Jorge.  With Jorge (whom everybody calls Ocho...8)

Cumpleanos de Yvonne! 

Pictures from Turialtica, where I took the whole family for supper to celebrate Yvonne's birthday.

Iris Pérez Garden

On Saturday, March 12th, after visiting CATIE, Yvonne asked her friend and neighbour Iris to take me across the street to see her breathtaking garden.

After a guided tour to Iris's garden, we had tea with her son Carlos Leon Peréz, PhD, Environment & Agriculture Consultant, and his wife and I also met their three children (all university age).