Costa Rica: Efficiency Experts Apply Here

Big news here in Costa Rica: The city of San Jose is putting up street signs! If you've never had to find a location based solely on "turn left at the red barn"-type of directions, you may not fully grasp the significance of this step. It's not that the streets have no names, it's just that nobody knows what they are. Addresses here are given in 100-meter segments, meant to indicate a city block but it's a loose measure for sure, and distances are counted from landmarks. For instance, our home address is "200 meters east of the Catholic Church, on the left side." But that doesn't get you to our house. What's on the "left side" is a street, which, unless you know otherwise, looks like a driveway, especially since the surface quickly disappears from view in a steep incline that hides the houses below. So there's that. But then, said street has two houses on it; ours happens to be the last one on the left. Try telling that to a taxi driver - in Spanish! So it's a big deal to be getting street signs. First thing you know we may even have numbers on buildings!

The other recent big news for Layne and me was that we successfully renewed our cedulas, the plastic identification card that says you are in the country legally. It's amazing to us that two years have flown by since we got residency here, but it's true. So with our friend Carmen as hired translator, we started the process a few weeks ago. I had already called our residency attorney to learn a little about the process. She explained the documentation we would need, along with a fee of $129 in colones, and she gave me a phone number to set up an appointment. Oddly to us, this transaction would be handled by the Banco de Costa Rica (BCR), a banking institution instead of immigration. Perhaps that just reflects the key point for the Costa Rican government: get the money.

My Cedula

Requirements for pensionado or retiree residency in Costa Rica include transferring $1000 per month into colones and maintaining a paid-up membership in the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social, better known as just the CAJA, the country's universal health care system. So our first step was for Carmen to call BCR to make the appointment and learn what we should bring. This included a letter from our bank proving we had transferred the required amount of money each month, copies of our cedulas, copies of our CAJA receipt and, of course, those fees.

Next we met Carmen at our bank to get the letter, which proved to be an amusing example of Tico bureaucratic inefficiency. Layne and I had printouts of all the deposit confirmations, which included dates and dollar amounts from our online transfers. When the clerk looked at our paperwork, however, she told Carmen she was unsure whether they were acceptable. Since the banks "say" they only keep records going back six months, we had a moment of panic. If they didn't have the records and wouldn't accept ours, what would we do? Fortunately, after checking with her supervisor, she said our copies were fine. Then she proceeded to handwrite each month's date and dollar amount on a blank sheet of paper to check against the records in her computer. Never mind that the same information was right in front of her on those printouts. But finally, after a mind-bogglingly slow process, she typed up our letter and sent us on our way. Pura Vida!

For the next couple of weeks, Layne and I stressed over whether we had everything we needed: copies of cedulas, copies of CAJA receipt, copies of the bank letter, proof of Social Security income from the US Embassy, a form showing his check is direct deposited here, a letter showing I am his dependent (in Costa Rica, I'm a married woman so dependent on mi esposo) and of course, the money. We had it all organized in separate folders, carefully paper-clipped together.

On the day of our appointment, we had everything with us as we bused with Carmen to the

No photos allowed in BCR, but here's the food service at Int'l Mall

International Mall in Alajuela where the BCR was located. At BCR, however, the procedure was anti-climactic. After a long wait, (Pura Vida again), it was finally my turn. The unsmiling clerk entered in her computer my street address (see above re addresses), asked for my CAJA receipt and the $129, of course. That was it. No proof of income; no letter from the bank; no issue of dependency. She took my picture and my fingerprint - same finger, four times. Go figure. Then in a classic case of ineptitude, she lost all of the data she had entered, had to restart her computer and go through it all again. Hey, lady -- hit Save next time!

For Layne the process took less than ten minutes. In neither case did she ask for proof of income or the letter from our bank, even though that is one of the most stringent requirements. All we could do was shake our heads in amusement and count our lucky stars that our cedulas will be renewed. For how long? we asked the clerk. She didn't know. And neither will we until we receive our new cards. Sigh. Pura Vida indeed.

Check out Layne's book "Moral Turpitude," available for only $2.99 at Smashwords.com. High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. Sample or purchase at --https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/159570

Eat, Drink & Be Merry...

... For tomorrow, It's Eat, Drink & Be Merry Again!

Iguana Bread

Happy St. Paddy's Day to all, with or without green beer on your menu. Our day started with a not-so-Irish brunch at the home of our friends Jan and Tom, bakers of some of the finest bread in all of Costa Rica. Most every week at the feria we pick up a loaf of Tom's whole wheat French or Layne's favorite Iguana Bread, so named not because it includes iguana in its ingredients (thank goodness!) but for the seed-encrusted and carved brown top reminiscent of that reptile's crested and craggy back.

St. Paddy's Day Brunch 

Another of Tom's fabulous recipes is Almond Sticky Buns. Oh, wow! They are beyond decadent. And happily today they were on our brunch menu, but sliced and grilled, of all things. Along with papaya, mango and blueberry fruit salad, perfect home fried potatoes, breakfast burritos with guacamole, salsa and natilla (sour cream), coffee and fresh juice, it was a banquet fit for royalty. 

The view toward Grecia... looks chilly to me!

Enjoying the feast along with us was a couple from Grecia, which is up the mountain we can see from our house. With a home at the 4200' level, Dave and Marsha enjoy the cooler weather found at that elevation. It's too chilly for me but they come from Michigan so it probably feels downright tropical up there to them.

Today was the third installment of what has been another party-filled weekend. On Friday we feted our dear friends Sally and Leonard who have decided to head back to the States soon to embark on their next adventure: traveling in a new hotrod RV (complete with a fireplace!) and volunteering as hosts at national parks around the country. So along with Marcial and Seidy, who spend most every Friday evening with us, we enjoyed lively conversation, a few bottles of wine and a nice sautéed veggie dish with browned butter and Parmesan cheese over angel hair pasta. We will certainly miss Sally and Leonard who have been buenos amigos but we wish them well as they take off for a new life and exciting times ahead.

Yesterday was party time around the pool at Bonnie and Stephen's home in honor of Stephen's childhood friend Seth who just arrived from San Francisco for a visit. Hail, hail, the Santa Eulalia gang was all there: Marcial and Seidy and two of their sons, Felipe and Daniel (only David, who works on weekends, was missing), their friend Johan, Chris and Sue, Marc and Eroca, me and Layne and the newest members of our posse, Carmen and Roberto. Beginning with Carmen's excellent mango ceviche, huge fruit salad and her now-famous salsa verde, the food just kept coming: slow-cooked beans and pork loin, potato/bean salad, sweet coconut couscous salad and finally Chris' incredible stuffed chicken. Naturally, Eroca brought one of her outrageous desserts, this time a banana-chocolate chip cake that was muy rico. The sunny weather was perfect and Sue even improvised a net for volleyball, giving some of the group a chance to splash each other like kids at camp. Quite a day!

Volleyball in the pool

What a cake!

It hasn't been all food and parties this week, however, as we did get in a rather energetic hike last weekend as well. Following the same route we took a few weeks back along Calle Vanilla, we came again to the residence where on our previous visit the Tico family had just killed a large snake that was guilty of poaching their chickens. Our indefatigable guide Marcial had pre-hiked our road the day before and made arrangements with the sweet Tica there to have some cool drinks ready for us when we arrived. Her homemade lemonade hit the spot for us tired hikers and the throng of orchids in bloom was a feast for the eyes. (Click on these photos to enlarge; they are worth a closer look!)

Hikers Layne and Stephen take a break

Most of these are the spectacular Guaria Morada, the national flower of Costa Rica, whose rich purple tones and shimmering petals bloom from January through April. The yard was absolutely filled with their blossoms along with other varieties, all hugging the trees and spilling out from every corner. As we learned from Marcial, the elderly lady had been born in this house and, she said, she expected to be there when she "goes home to God."

Gabriel and Alu 

Although fortunately not heading home to God just yet, last Monday night we did have to say goodbye to Marcial's son Gabriel and his family as they prepared to head back to their home in Germany. Marcial's backyard, where the fire pit makes an inviting setting for good friends to gather, was the scene for our farewell get-together. After five months here in Costa Rica, I know they found it hard to face a return to work and the obligations of "normal" life. As a fitting finale to our fiesta, Gabriel and Alu serenaded the group with German and Spanish songs, a nostalgic ending to their visit and an evening we will all long remember with pleasure. Bon voyage, amigos, y regresan muy pronto!

Check out Layne's book "Moral Turpitude," available for only $2.99 at Smashwords.com. High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. Sample or purchase at --https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/159570

Monster Mangos and Edible Flowers

The backyard mango crop is coming in! And look at the size of these behemoths... easily 6" long and 14" in circumference! With many more on the way. We didn't think these babies were ripe yet but when our landlords were over the other day, Isaac enthusiastically picked these, saying we should take them before the birds eat them. So now they await full ripeness on the counter as I try to figure out how to make use of so many mangos coming ripe all at the same time. Fortunately, I recently learned to make Mango Chutney so that will utilize some of them. Then there's mango on ice cream, mango in salads, mango smooties and when I run out of ideas, there's always Epicurious.com, Allrecipes.com, the Food Network and dozens of other online recipe sites for inspiration.

A backyard bounty!

The chutney came about after our friend Marcial introduced us to Raymond, a local resident who sells Indian spices. As I had been looking for garam masala for a while I promptly bought that only to learn that he also had some packaged spices including Shan Chicken Curry seasoning. So along with ground coriander, cumin and Tandoori seasoning, I took a package of the curry mix and cooked it that night. Wow! It was excellent but since I used the whole package, it was quite fiery. I decided it needed some chutney to cool the heat a bit. I always thought of chutney as a complex dish but much to my surprise the recipe I found on Epicurious was rather simple. Other than chopping the mangoes, it was a quick preparation and very tasty, the perfect accompaniment to an Indian curry.

"The drinking club with a hiking problem"

With Layne home again to enjoy my cooking, we're back in our routine of regular gourmet meals. But living in a foreign country also means learning about unfamiliar foods, which was the case after our latest hike with our "gang" of friends. The very strenuous trek up took us up into a national preserve near the home of Chris and Sue, who have moved away from Santa Eulalia temporarily while they obtain residency and buy property to build on here in the "old neighborhood." They have rented the very grand home owned by our Guatemalan friend Carmen and her Tico husband Roberto, who literally built the house himself. 

The "great" Great Room

With Roberto as our guide this time, we headed up the hill behind the house into a densely forested jungle of massive trees with huge vines  wrapped around their trunks and branches, creepers as fat as a man's bicep winding up into the canopy above us. We all posed on the aboveground root or arm of one particular type of tree, which Marcial said was used by Ticos in his youth to make tables and even beds because of their flat width.

Sitting on what could be a bed!

View from the top 

We're just getting started...

Stephen and Marc

See those cattle trails?... that's where we're heading!

Eventually we emerged onto an open plateau looking out over the entire Central Valley below, tired but thrilled by the view and fully expecting a less demanding walk back to the house. Oh, but no! What was viewed by Roberto as "easy" soon proved to be a challenging and treacherous scamper for Layne and me, up and down the narrow tracks made by cattle. That's "up and down" several times! Nursing a lightweight hangover from party-time the night before with Bonnie and Stephen, Layne and I clenched our walking sticks and soldiered on, but not in very good spirits.

Can you see me? I'm the one in the red shirt
(click on photos to enlarge; hit Back button or Escape to return)

Bonnie, Layne and Eroca

Still, by the time we made it back to the house and cooled off with a cerveza, we had regained our good humor and took consolation in our successful and safe return. We were all ready for the banquet we knew was to come. Chris and Sue had promised "beer-butt chicken" and everyone else had brought tasty offerings to add to the meal. Marcial, however, had harvested an unexpected Tico treat along the way: Flor de Itabo, an edible flower of the Yucca plant here in Central America and a centerpiece of holiday meals around Easter when it is in bloom.

Photo by Frank Sullyvan Cardoza Ruiz

http://blog.inbio.ac.cr/editorial/?p=1502

Marcial patiently removed the delicate white petals of the open flowers, along with the central stem full of unopened blossoms. He set all that in water and brought it to a slow boil for five minutes or so. 

Marcial removes the petals

Cooked immature buds - yummy!

Beer-butt chickens on the grill

Once done, Chris, Stephen and I sampled the small flower buds from within the stem and found them to have a piquant, slightly bitter flavor, not unlike Brussels Sprouts. Adding the softened flowers to a sauté of onions, chili dulce and eggs, Marcial produced a delicious egg scramble that tucked inside a tortilla served as appetizer along with Carmen's black bean dip and picante green salsa, Eroca's pico de gallo and my Caesar dip with veggies. We enjoyed these delicacies while we awaited the finale of those outrageous chickens. They proved well worth the wait, tender and juicy with a distinctive flavor from Chris' spicy rub. As our friend Joel would say: "Very successful!"

After dinner Daniel serenaded us with beautiful classical guitar music. He's getting better and better! 

Daniel and Layne entertain

Eventually, he invited Layne up to join him in a rousing rendition of "Pecos Bill," a humorous Western ballad that Daniel learned from Layne. All in all, another excellent day of hiking, good food and great friends.

Check out Layne's book "Moral Turpitude," available for only $2.99 at Smashwords.com. High adventure with corporate intrigue, danger and romance; from the exotic jungles of Borneo and Costa Rica to the erotic jungles of San Francisco. Sample or purchase at --https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/159570

A Funny Thing Happened On the Way...

Es una problema!

Heading home today after my workout at the gym, the bus unexpectedly came to a stop in the middle of a stretch of road that runs alongside the river. We passengers all looked out the windows to see what the slow-down was and discovered that ahead of us a large limb had fallen across the road. Leaning down from the main trunk of the tree, the branches were spread all across one lane of the street with just room enough for small vehicles to squeeze under the bole hanging over other side. Until that limb was removed, there was no way our bus was getting through.

Students start walking as the school bus turns around

A school bus and several cars were beginning to stack up on the other side and I knew the same was happening behind us. As I sat there wondering what I should do to get home, someone rang the bell to get off the bus. With the doors now open I realized that once I made my way up the long hill ahead, the rest of the way home was pretty easy and although it was still a distance, I knew I could hike it with no trouble. So off the bus I went and began walking on the narrow shoulder next to the traffic as it crept along to slip underneath the limb. I glanced to my left and noticed a white taxi, one of the "pirate" taxis that are cheaper than the red ones, right beside me and it was empty.

"Señor," I said to the driver through his open window, "¿Disponible?" meaning, Are you available?

"Sí," he said, and I hopped in the back seat, thanking my lucky stars for the perfect timing.

We took our turn carefully negotiating the small opening and once past the traffic jam, continued on up the hill toward Santa Eulalia, chatting a bit in Spanish about the weather, always a safe subject for my limited language skills. You'll recall that Costa Rica uses no addresses, no street names for the most part and house numbers are rare indeed. As it turned out, this taxista apparently didn't know exactly where he was going for his fare. At the school near our home, he stopped and asked a couple of schoolboys where blah-blah was. Of course, I couldn't understand his question but he let me know that he had to turn around as he had apparently gone past his destination. But since he had saved me that long uphill hike, I was happy to walk the short distance home. When I tried to offer him some money for the lift, he said, no, no monies, instead handing me his card so I could call him directly for a future ride. And I think I will!

Dry hillsides in the distance

Our conversation about the weather focused on how dry it is right now. The hillsides are turning brown and our grass requires regular watering. But whoever said Costa Rica has no seasons just didn't recognize the kind of cycles that occur here. Right now, for instance, it's sugarcane-cutting season and huge fields of the tall plants are disappearing here in Santa Eulalia. On my solitary walk the other morning, I encountered workers with machetes, hacking away at the plants while a tractor stood by to cart away big metal cradles full of the harvest.

Gorgeous bougainvillea

Partly because of the dry climate, the bougainvillea is now in full bloom all over the neighborhood, a riot of fuchsia, orangey peach and pale pink. Our mango tree is heavy with fruit; we expect a bumper crop in a month or two. The avocado tree in the front yard is also showing its coming yield and unlike last year, I hope to be around to enjoy it in April and May.

On our Sunday hike this week we learned of another fruit in season, the Starfruit, a unique yellow oblong with parallel peaks along its sides. When cut crosswise, the resulting section is shaped like a star. The firm flesh is sweet tart and very refreshing. Marcial explained how to make a "fresco," or fresh fruit drink, by putting the fruit - seeds, skin and all -- into a blender with a bit of sweetener and some water and ice. Turn on the machine and voila! you have a delicious drink.

Starfruit in abundance

Marcial cuts up Starfruit as Bonnie looks on

Stephen's smile says it all

We retraced part of our steps from last week's "hike from hell," stopping at the pig farm to visit with the family that lives in the small shack on the property. 

A very humble abode for this family

One child was a cute little girl who spoke enthusiastically to Marcial and Seidy, although their rapid conversation was lost on me. However, I did manage to communicate a bit with the man who had a boot in his lap along with a big needle and thread. "¿Arreglar su zapato?" I bravely asked. With a big smile, he looked up and answered yes, obviously pleased that I was trying to speak Spanish.

As we started down the steep hill just beyond the pig farm, we stopped to watch some men trying to capture a boa constrictor, another chicken killer, by rousting it out of its hole. Their plan was not to kill it, they said, but just to move it elsewhere. The leader really wanted us to video his efforts but clearly it was going to take too long for us to stay and watch. Later Marcial told us that this man is a jack-of-all-trades,  catching snakes being only one of his many skills.

So we started off again down the trail but poor Bonnie took a spill on the powdery dirt injuring her knee enough to force her to turn back. She and Eroca headed off for smoother terrain while Marcial, Seidy, Stephen and I continued on, back down to the lovely little river. This time, however, we opted to walk on land instead of the riverbed but Marcial and Seidy's dog Blackie took a dip to cool off.

Marcial and Stephen enjoy the scenery

Stephen waits in the shade as Marcial hikes down

Blackie wades in!

View from the top

"Our" little valley

As we hiked through a beautiful secluded valley, we fantasized developing our own small community there. According to Marcial, it's the perfect climate and terrain for growing Plumeria; we could see a number of wild white Plumeria trees all over the hillside above us. In our imagined future, we would export Plumeria cuttings and make our retirement fortune as we relaxed in our quiet little valley by the river. Ah, Pura Vida!

A Last-Minute Birthday Bash

Perhaps it's in bad taste to brag about one's own birthday party, but I must. Besides, my friends here in Santa Eulalia organized the thing in about 24 hours so that has to be some kind of record right there and worthy of note for that reason alone. But since it turned into such a splendid party, I really must share the photos and a bit of the story.

It all came about, I suppose, because I kept gloating that I was able to keep up on the "hike from hell" despite it being the last day of my 67th year. So everyone knew my birthday was the next day. After our relaxing afternoon on Marcial and Seidy's patio, I made the short walk home (somewhat surprised I could still walk at all!) and not long after, I found an email from Sue saying, unless I objected, they were all coming to my house the next evening to celebrate my birthday. I was instructed to do nothing to prepare, assured that they would bring all food and drink.

Eroca and her outrageously delicious carrot cake!

For a natural-born hostess like me, these were difficult orders to follow but I did my best, heading to the gym early Monday morning for a workout then taking the 10:00 a.m. bus back to Santa Eulalia, where I spent most of the afternoon writing a blog on the previous day's strenuous hike. Marc and Eroca arrived around 5:15 p.m. with two cakes in hand and that seemed to signal the start of the party. Never short of anything to talk about, we entertained each other until a taxi arrived with Bonnie and Stephen and Chris and Sue, carrying plates of food and bottles of drink. When Marcial and Seidy showed up a little later, things were in full swing.

Sous-chef Stephen at work

Both Chris and Stephen are accomplished chefs who enjoy nothing more than whipping up something scrumptious in the kitchen. Chris had already prepared a special cabbage lasagna (I know it sounds strange but trust me, it was delicious!) and just needed an oven to bake it for an hour. Unbeknownst to him, my oven was awaiting a new lower element to replace a broken one so we had to resort to using the Broil setting on Lo. Chris must have felt like he was on Chopped on the Food Channel and had just been handed a pork roast with marshmallows to cook without a working oven! But he soldiered on and by using aluminum foil over the pan and setting it on a lower shelf, somehow it worked.

Meanwhile, Stephen was serving as sous-chef, cutting up the broccoli for the side dish and working his magic on a big salad with yummy chunks of mango mixed in. Seidy got in the act with her fantastic homemade tortillas while Eroca added candles to the cakes. Bonnie found a way to be helpful by tasting the icing!

The best tortillas you ever tasted

Bonnie shares icing with Eroca

Eroca, Bonnie & Seidy dish up!

Through the magic of the Internet, we even had virtual Layne at the party. Using Skype to Skype with video, he was displayed on the TV screen and we took turns saying Hi to him, giving him a running commentary on the evening's fun. It would have been wonderful to have him here in person but with his face on the big screen, we were able to share some of the pleasure by long distance at least.

Marcial and Seidy talk with "Virtual Layne"

Dinner is served!

Eventually, dinner was ready and we all helped our plates, ready to retire to the back patio. But not before Marcial took a moment to address the group, expressing for everyone our joy at being together and humbling me with very sweet comments about how much I am loved and appreciated by this great group of people.

Make a wish, Kat! 

When the cake was brought out - happily, a few candles short of my age! - I made my wish and blew out the candles as everyone sang the birthday serenade. It was a very special birthday, made even richer by all the Facebook birthday wishes I received, one I shall long remember as a perfect example of the Pura Vida world I've come to love.

Muchas gracias, mis amigos!!