Peace, Love & Blog

Things in Costa Rica have been going swell. One of my best friends from my study abroad program, Jade, came to spend the week in paradise. We spent the week going to all our old haunts and being nostalgic. I had Saturday off from work because of Annexation Day, the day that the province of Guanacaste became part of Costa Rica. I thought, “What better way to properly celebrate Guanacaste day than with a trip to…Guanacaste?”. The trip was even more ideal because the only other time I had been to Guanacaste coincided with the only hurricane to take place there in the last 100 years, so I had seen little else in the province than my hotel room and the bus station.

Jade, Carole (the amiga from Alaska) and I left at the god awful early hour of 8am on the bus to Guanacaste. The ride was long (about 5 1/2 hours), but the scenery was beautiful. Although Guanacaste isn’t really THAT far from San Jose, but the roads are narrow and wind up and down mountains. We decided to stay in Playas del Coco, a beach that we heard was not that nice but had a lot to do. We heard right. As soon as we stepped off the bus we were greeted by Gunter, a German ex-patriot who had lived in Coco for 25 years. He took us to his house/hotel, named Casa Talamanca. The room for the three of us was 25$ a night, with three beds, a bathroom, a cooking/sitting area, and balcony. We couldn’t complain. Gunter promised us a pool, but what we found was a plastic pool-like structure with about 3 feet of water that seemed to be home to Costa Rica’s finest insects. Nevertheless, Gunter’s Costa Rican wife gave us all the information we needed about the parties going on and all our bus information, and she also hooked us up with a discount taxi ride.

After spending Friday night the way any group of 3 young girls at the beach on a Friday night would, we woke up feeling a little, under the weather, should I say. We consoled ourselves with a heaping pile of gallo pinto, which is the speciality dish of Costa Rica. We then caught a taxi to Playa Hermosa (which means Beautiful Beach). This is one of two beaches with this name, but neither of them are particularly beautiful. However, since it was Guanacaste Day, a lot of Costa Ricans were hanging out at the beach, and the water was really calm and nice, so it was quite nice.

Our next stop after the beach was the fair, a week long event for Guanacaste Day who’s main shindig was taking place that day. We arrived just in time to down some fair food a la tica and watch the rodeo. The main concept of this rodeo is basically the same as in the US, except that lots of ticos (all men, not surprisingly) stand in the ring and make a game out of dodging the bull. After the rider (who about half of the time was wearing a hockey mask) falls off the bull and before the caddle prods get it to go back into the pen (they don’t kill the bulls in Costa Rica, the Ticos run past it and taunt it, then climb on the sides of the ring to avoid a bullhorn up their butt. It was, in a word, interesting.

Essentially, the fair in Costa Rica is quite similar to those in the US. There’s livestock, plaid shirts, cowboy hats, games, rides, and even some John Deere apparel. However, there is beer everywhere. There are many outdoor bars, setup with dance floors and all. They even had a couple “clubs” that were humongous, multi-story structures that seemed like a lot of effort for only one week of use. Once night fell, the streets (or dirt paths) filled with people. Literally, masses of people drinking beer. The “clubs” were basically open air, and playing music really loudly, so rather than pay the entrance fee, most people stood outside them, drinking their beer and dancing. The smart and shrewd gringas that we are, we decided to do the same. Another odd thing about the fair was that while we saw a handful of other tourists at the rodeo, we didn’t see any other foreigners after that. Usually when I go to the beach in Costa Rica I see many travelers, and it felt kind of cool to be at an activity that seemed purely “tico”.

Well, that’s about all I have for now. I’m hoping to move into my own place shortly, so I’ll be sure to update you on any changes soon. Also, I uploaded pictures from my trip and other nights in San Jose on Facebook, which you can see here.

Pura Vida (and lots of love),

Jenn

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/07/16/michelle.obama.slaveroots/index.html

President Obama’s Statement on Mr. Cronkite’s passing:

For decades, Walter Cronkite was the most trusted voice in America. His rich baritone reached millions of living rooms every night, and in an industry of icons, Walter set the standard by which all others have been judged.

He was there through wars and riots, marches and milestones, calmly telling us what we needed to know. And through it all, he never lost the integrity he gained growing up in the heartland.

But Walter was always more than just an anchor. He was someone we could trust to guide us through the most important issues of the day; a voice of certainty in an uncertain world. He was family. He invited us to believe in him, and he never let us down. This country has lost an icon and a dear friend, and he will be truly missed.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (CNN) — Delegates for deposed Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya have agreed to a seven-point proposal that would return him to power. But representatives for provisional President Roberto Micheletti said late Saturday they need more time to study the matter.

Zelaya has proposed returning to Honduras on Friday, said his representative, Rixi Moncada.

The two sides are still far apart, said Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, who is holding the talks at his home. The two sides agreed to resume negotiations Sunday morning.

“We have had a dialogue, a debate, a discussion,” Arias said after the daylong negotiations Saturday. “They were frank but constructive. Certainly there are many differences.”

Earlier Saturday, Arias outlined seven steps he believes need to be taken. The first step, he said, is that Zelaya must be returned to power.

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From what I’ve heard, this is a long-awaited court decision that’s going to make the Nicaraguans very pissed. Some say they’re going to close the border and prevent Costa Ricans from entering. I hope it’s all figured out by September, because I’m planning a trip to Nicaragua then.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Nicaragua has interfered with Costa Rica’s right of free navigation on the San Juan river, which separates the two Central American nations, says the Jurist.

Arguing that although Nicaragua has sovereignty over the river, Costa Rica filed a complaint in the ICJ in 2005 that the country was impeding free navigation in violation of Article VI of the 1858 Treaty of Limits by requiring visas for passengers aboard Costa Rican ships, requiring that ships stop at Nicaraguan posts, and preventing Costa Rican police from using the river to re-supply river posts. The report notes that the ICJ found that the treaty did establish Costa Rica’s right to free navigation for ‘commercial purposes,’ and that ‘commerce’ meant both cargo and transportation. Accordingly, said the court, visa requirements would give Nicaragua undue control over a Costa Rican right, and could not be exercised consistent with the treaty.

I for one don’t understand why there are not more scantily clad men on the internet/in magazines/in movies/on TV. It seems like I can’t do anything without seeing some cleavage and a come hither stare, so I’d like to take the first step towards evening things out. With these:

and the kicker……