by Matt Casseday
Walking the streets of Quepos on a hot and hectic Friday afternoon, two voices fight for space in my head. One is the voice whose philosophy is simply ‘Live and let live’. It is the voice that brought me here almost twenty years ago, the voice of tolerance and tranquility, a voice best personified by a man lounging in a hammock, eyes slightly glazed after a short smoke and a long drink, beatific smile painting his face as he stares out at a panoramic Costa Rican vista.
The other voice demands attention every time I see someone double parked blocking traffic, or aggressively and arrogantly turning a one way street into a two way street, or most definitely when I see that emaciated little guy wearing the second hand traffic cop vest in the street in front of the bus station and the Super Mas supermarket, blowing his whistle and acting like he is directing traffic, unhindered by the local police. This other voice is not charitable or tolerant or even remotely me, yet it occasionally boils up unexpectedly, like Volcan Arenal, emitting gas and noxious smoke, and almost but not quite erupting and sending the passersby running for cover. (more…)
Filed under: Crazy From the Heat, Matt Casseday on December 6th, 2009
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by Donna Porter
There is no other tropical plant that one associates more with the Tropics than the Palm. The sight of even the tiniest of palm tree figures, places you on a wide open beach, with warm tropical breezes, waves crashing in, sipping pina coladas decorated with colorful mini umbrellas and a sprig of pineapple leaf. For those with little to no imagination, I suppose this popular symbol does nothing of the sort.
Even though we typically refer to these plants as “palm trees”, palms are not related to what we normally think of as a tree. Palms are “monocots” and are more closely related to grasses (including corn), orchids, bromeliads and bananas than they are to trees such as oaks, fruit trees or pines, which are “dicots”. One distinguishing factor is that dicots produce woody tissue. But, of course, just to be an odd ball in the taxanomic classification system, palms do indeed produce woody tissue. Other than that, all other characteristics place them in the monocot division similar to grasses.
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Filed under: Donna Porter, It's a Wonderful World of Plants on December 6th, 2009
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by Bruce Zabov
With the North American winter holiday season upon us I thought this would be a good time to go over a couple of possibilities for using the leftovers from what will likely include turkey as the featured main course in at least one of the dinners. Problem is the bird is rarely available here, when you do see it it is in limited supply and outrageously expensive though it is raised in the country. That aside, it can be a welcome variation and treat.
If you have freezer space, there are a couple of ways to compensate for this scarce availability. One is to buy as many birds or parts as you have space for and freeze them for periodic future use. Another is to prepare two or more birds, and cut up and freeze them for finishing up in various dishes later on. (more…)
Filed under: Bruce Zabov, Cooking Corner on December 6th, 2009
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by Jack Ewing
People often ask me what it was like when I first came to the southern Pacific region of Costa Rica. Surprisingly many have the misconception that there was jungle everywhere, complete with jaguars, tapirs and scarlet macaws. My memories of those times, however, bear no resemblance to that image. In the early 1970s there were many more hectares of pastures and rice fields than of rainforest. I lived here for four years before I saw a monkey or coati and seven years before I saw a toucan. I had heard about the peccary (wild pigs) which migrated into the region a couple of times of year, but I never actually saw one until 2004, after having lived here for thirty-two years.
Things have changed markedly since that time. Last dry season, I saw three collared peccary in one week, one crossing the road and two on a walking trail. Several Hacienda Barú Lodge guests, who had gathered at the restaurant for a late afternoon beer, were treated to the spectacle of a collared peccary trying to break into the butterfly garden. It ran back and forth along the netting, occasionally charging it, trying in vain to break through. One of our guides took a photo of a pair of peccaries in the orchid garden. That same day, my wife, Diane, called the office and excitedly informed me that she was standing on our front porch, observing a couple of peccaries rooting around under a tree about 20 meters from the house. During the month of August 2009, two groups of visitors hiking in the rainforest encountered groups of more than 20 peccaries.
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Filed under: Jack Ewing, Nature Stories on December 6th, 2009
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Ah – December- the holidays – chestnuts roasting on an open fire………….oops – wrong memory……..warm sand tickling my toes, the sun on my back as I gaze off into the surf…now we have it! Ho Ho Ho and Bienvenidos/Welcome to our beautiful area.The rains are coming to an end and the sun is ramping up to full force guaranteed to thaw you out if you come from the snowy north…………..we have a lot going on this time of year so we are going to hit the high spots and fill you in, but 1st our Photo Winner cover shot is by Sean Johnstone of Plantation, Fl. Nice Shot!…….holiday dinners will abound so check our ads for those special ones like La Hacienda (also live music)Tracy always cooks up wonderful goodies and El Gran Escape who offers a Traditional Christmas dinner (Dec. 25th, 4:00pm til….Turkey & all the trimmings-Marsha’s awesome desserts!) & also their annual New Year’s Eve party mardi-gras style with the comparza (drums & dancers) & a buffet dinner (call to make reservation) plus just check around with our great restaurants to see what’s cookin’ – you won’t be disappointed……….there will be parties all over town for New Year’s Eve with live music at Dos Locos – hats – horns- lots of FUN – usually fireworks on the seawall……a word about fireworks..if you bring in the New Year on the beach – watch out for bottle rockets shooting all over..you will find yourself “in” the fireworks – so be careful!…………..it’s a great night to just wonder around town….Wacky Wanda’s, Los Pescadores, Kamuk Casino & more in Manuel Antonio as there will be good times everywhere…………..AND don’t forget to try all the great tours we have to offer- plus follow the Triathlon on Dec. 5 & 6 – just enjoy yourself – have a wonderful Holiday and come back to see us soon……………caio…P
Filed under: Qué Pasa en Quepos on December 6th, 2009
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These Horoscopes are meant to be fun and enjoyed. They should not be taken too seriously.
SAGITTARIUS - November 22-December 21
Happy Birthday and Merry Xmas! You have a lot to celebrate this year. This month will be a strange one for you…the smell of Evergreen trees has an intense yet subtle effect on you. You may find yourself wanting to snuggle up to stuffed animals and drinking copious amounts of Egg Nog with the little marshmellows in them…this is fine in small quantities, but please remember to give back those stuffed animals when you are done squeezing them.
CELEBRITY SAGITTARIUS: Scarlett Johannsen
IDEAL JOB: Citrus fruit dryer
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Filed under: Cosmic Confetti, Horoscopes on December 3rd, 2009
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By Jim Parisi
Rock and Roll has had an element of humor and playfulness since its inception; it is simply a part of its inherent makeup. Sure, there is a serious side, as well: the musicianship has always been concrete and the messages diverse, be they political, philosophical or romantic. But the whimsical part has always been there, throughout the history of Rock and Roll. Ben Orton has been a serious Rock and Roll musician with a serious funny bone for more than twenty years. Born near Champagne, Ill, he relocated to the Ozark Mountains and Fayetteville, Ark to pursue his college degree “in three easy decades” as he has explained it. Ben has spent time living in Seattle, India and Iran as he took the long road to eventually come to Costa Rica and live in the Quepos/Jaco area. On his way here, he paid his dues, including playing bass guitar and recording with a biker/porno band, and then released his first solo project, “Ben Orton & Other Infamous Fugitives”, a good, straight-forward rollicking, rocking album. He recently released his first album from Costa Rica, a self-produced CD entitled “Hecho en Costa Rica” along with his band BenJammin and the Howlers. All the songs are Ben’s original material and the album was recorded in Jaco and Quepos.
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Filed under: Jim Parisi, Music Review on November 27th, 2009
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