Places (Here and There)

This is Banco Nacional. One of the state owned banks in Costa Rica. This is the main branch in San Pedro. When open an armed guard stands our front with what looks like an R-4.

The bandstand at Parque San Pedro. (Actually across the street from the above bank.) On weekends sometimes there is live music here. On weekdays, bums sleep out of the rain.

Typical Costa Rican sidewalk. this one is actually better than most.

Another government owned bank.

People (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)

This is the "Fresca Man"(straw hat) . He sells strawberries (frescas) down the street from where I live. As the sign says you can get three baskets for 1000 colones ($1.75). He is a nice guy and always waves at the buses and cars that go by. I buy my frescas from him.

Here is one of the local cops. Not the Federal police, they usually have on Kevlar vests and are a bit better armed. I took this picture because he is talking to a guy that is breaking the law. Selling stuff on the street is illegal, but no one cares.

Download and enlarge this pic to understand all I will explain. The guy in the black and white velour track suit and white shoes has on the worst rug I have ever seen in the Western Hemisphere. My shot was just a fraction of a second too soon to capture his leering and attempted pickup of the tica in the pink blouse. If you have enlarged the pic (sorry my camera sux) you will notice a small patch of black on his upper lip. I first thought it was a mustache, but when I moved closer to check out the hottie on the far right wearing the blue shirt with the backpack.(He is standing in a McDonalds next door) I realized it is actually very long nose hairs forming a sort of Hitler stach.

Driving in Costa Rica

I was checking my stats for the day and there was quite a spike in readership. That can mean only one of two things, either ElCapitan or Army of Mom plugged me in their blog post of the day.

It was El Cap. Once again railing about the driving habits of Los hispanicos de Tejas. He asked a question that I am now going to answer. How are the Drivers in Latin America, well in Costa Rica anyway?

There are only 2 things more dangerous than driving in Costa Rica. They are in no particular order; jaguar testicle thumping and French kissing a Fer-De_Lance. There are traffic laws here, but no police are assigned to enforce them. People speed, pass on the right, on the left, on the sidewalk. They never stop for stop signs and rarely for stop lights. There seem to be no rules on what size vehicle can be on what kind of road. I have seen 18 wheelers go down my street (residential). they were no doubt lost. I have nicknames for the bus drivers that work the routes I ride regularly. Parnelli Jones, Slowpoke Rodiguez, Middle of the Road Manuel, and the most dangerous one... Foster Brooks Cuervo.

Examples of crazy stuff I have witnessed:

A bus stops on a two lane road to let off passengers. cars coming both in front of and behind the bus will try and use that other lane to get by. Other cars will try and pass on the sidewalk if there is room and no open storm sewer.

Two male drivers will not under any circumstances yeild to one another. I was on a bus and another bus was beside us. There was a car double parked making only enough room for one bus to pass at a time. We sit there for (I timed it) 8 minutes until the driver of the double parked car moved because neither driver would let the other one go first. And the whole time both bus drivers were blowing their horns and so were about 300 cars behind us.

Add to this that the street maintence here is nonexistent. Down the street from where I live that is a pot hole that has been there so long there is now a 10ft tree growing out of it. Diameter of the trunk at the base is about 6-8 inches at least. People just go around it None of the streets are named and none of the houses have numbers on them. So no one really knows for sure where they are going half the time.

Let's say there is a wreck. Law requires that neither car can be moved, not even off the Auto Pista (freeway) until the police investigate and all the involved insurance companies adjusters finish all the paper work.

That is why I ride the bus and will never own a car here. And you are not even safe in a parking lot or your garage. The major pastimes in Costa Rica are soccer and car theft.

La Sabanna Park

La Sabanna Park is one of the largest if not the largest municipal parks in the Central Valley in Costa Rica. Here is a nice view of the lake with the mountains in the background.

The park has large areas of these very tall (40+ft) trees. Very tall and very straight.

More of the trees here.

Here is one of the roads that wind through the park. One must watch out for cars because no one obeys the traffic laws here and they will run over you.

A large art thing in the park. Not sure what it is or what it means. Notice the lack of "manicured" landscaping. Grass is allowed to grow here and not much edging on the sidewalks either.

This work is called "Stack those defective bridge beams over there and paint them red".

Bamboo grows very tall here. This buch is probably 35 or more feet tall.

Here are a few pics that will make you think this is a park just about anywhere in the USA. Momma duck out with the little ones for a late morning swim.

Pigeons, they are truly everywhere we are.

Chinese man fishing in water too dirty to fight fires with.

And last but certainly not least. Mutant Duck!!!

Another Top Ten List

Top Ten Things You Will NEVER Hear in a John Wayne Movie.

10. "Free Range Organic corn-dodger?"

9. "Maybe if I had sat down and tried to talk to Lucky Ned Pepper I could of avoided this violent and probably illegal confrontation?"

8. "I feel your pain!"

7. As Genghis Khan "Feel free to loot and burn but do it in a way that respects their culture."

6." I wonder if our campfire is contributing to global warming?"

5. "Fill your hand you person of suspect birth!"

4. "I think changing your name from Black Bart to The Emo Kid might help your image."

3. "Today my jurisdiction ends....Here!"

2. "What we need out here in the West is more government oversight and regulation."

1. "We should offer them a chance to surrender before we open fire."

True Grit, Then and Now

True Grit is,in my opinion, the best western of all time. And it seems that I am not alone in that opinion. It was filmed in and around Ridgeway Colorado and one of the locals did this bang up job of looking at the locations from the film. Enjoy.

USAF Test New All Weather Interceptor.

(AP)The USAF, facing severe budget cuts, unveiled their new cost cutting F-7.5 also known as "The Appeaser" Manufactured by Chamberlin Aeronautics in the Czech Republic. It is able to "project force without frightening our enemies.

According to Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor "the enemies of our country should be free of the oppressive fear of our military, they should fear our strongly worded letters and UN Resolutions instead." She also affirmed that the US Constitution affirms the right of our enemies to be free of such oppression. When asked where in the Constitution does it grant that right, she shrugged her shoulders and said "Its there, any woman of color can see it in a minute."

President B. Hussein Obama added that "Treaties with dangerous regimes be less costly than fighting them, and we can trust them to honor their agreements, if they didn't plan to honor them why uh , um uh, um ,(teleprompter malfunction) why would they take the time to forge the agreement in the first place?"

Next month the Army will unveil its new Nerf Tank.

Things I have done. Another meme from El Capitan

Things I have done are in bold.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars
Many many times….

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower
I try not to miss em

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain
Baldy Peak, NM, 12,441 ft.

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris TX

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning
Twice

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables
Yep every year

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

Cant remember on what charges

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse
Lunar yes, solar no.

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

Not fun at all.

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check
check? No checks yes

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

From what?

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

Got a piece on a quilt though.

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone
arm twice. Leg 4 times, collarbone.

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible
The devil did it..
86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
Fish, fowl and beast.

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit
Sued an insurance company. I won!!!!!

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

Top Ten Oddities About Costa Rica

Here are the top ten odd things about this country that indicate you are no longer in the States.

10. Hardly any buildings have air-conditioning. Actually most are open to the outside with a roof just to keep the rain out.

9. Bus stops on the side of the freeway. Not on the access road ON THE FREEWAY. Right on the shoulder. If you need a bus just stand on the shoulder of the freeway and whether or not there is a stop there just flag down the bus you need. It will stop in the right lane and let you on.

8. Every sidewalk here just like in the States has to have those disabled ramps. But the sidewalks are so bad here that all the wheelchair bound types go right down the road and avoid the sidewalks.

7. I estimate that taxi cabs make up 10 to 20% of cars in this country. You can never look at a street without seeing at least one and I have counted 28 parked on one block.

6. The grocery store comes to you. Every morning a guy drives buy and sells eggs out of his truck, later here comes the fruit and veg guy, then the milk guy and lastly the meat guy. I just sit outside and buy what comes down the street. And the prices are cheaper than going to the store and the produce and eggs are fresher.

5. When two cars collide, law requires that neither vehicle can be moved at all until the police and insurance adjusters are at the scene and have completed all the paperwork. Can you say 5 hour traffic jams?

4. The word for pedestrian and target are the same in this country. Personas a la pie are fair game here.

3. The doors to the public restroom are open so people walking by have a clear view of the urinals. And the cleaning lady (always seem to be a female) that is cleaning the bathroom will just come in and start cleaning even if there are guys in there "availing themselves of the facilities.

2. McDonalds tastes worse than the States, KFC is better, All pizza sux cause no one knows you are supposed to use high gluten flour to make the crust, Quiznos is about the same. See here for info on Taco Bell.

1. At 7am every morning, all Costa Rican radio stations play the National Anthem, and many play it again at night. Why did we stop doing this in our country?

Thanks to all the Grampas out there. . . .

That started the ugly job of liberating Europe 65 years ago. And remembering all of their friends that never came home to marry and have children and grandchildren.

How Nature Says "Do not Touch!"

100 things pt. 4

Finally the last installment.

76. Hunting a hippo with a handgun, maybe going after a bear with a few spears and a bow and arrow(need more practice). That would be fun.

77. I only own two flavors of socks. That way I have an easier time mating them up.

78. I do not like eating recognizable body parts. I prefer my chicken off the bone. Nuggets, tenders and the like are the only way I eat it.

79. As far as book trilogy's go I cannot decide if I like Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien or Foundation by Isaac Asimov better.

80. I hate when the frigate birds swoop down and eat all the baby turtles as they try to make it to the sea. Win Mod 12 28bbl mod choke and a butt load of ammo. I would make a pile of dead frigate birds like the world has never seen.

81. Now that I am in Central America I am close to a lot of countries that might be fun to visit and don't require a lot of extra paperwork, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, El Salvador, Cuba all come to mind.

82. I like my steak medium, with just a little pink in the middle.

83. I share a birthday with Lou Brock, Roger Ebert, Sir Paul McCartney, and Bruiser Brody.

84. I don’t trust people who hold their arms so stiff that their elbows don’t bend, and their arms don’t sway when they walk.

85. I like my bacon very crispy.

86. I love pickles all kinds all the time.

87. I've never been skiing or snowboarding. But I would like to go waterboarding.

88. I like Dr. Pepper hot. Not room temp but hot with lemon juice.

89. I have a very sarcastic sense of humor.

90. You cannot find a more loyal friend or dedicated enemy.

91. I believe in miracles--like sausage, bacon, and ham all coming from the same animal.

92. I can't automatically tell the difference between left and right - I've got to think about it for a second first. But I can always find north.

93. Although I try very hard to fight it, I'm a Mac snob.

94. My favorite Sesame Street character is the Count.

95. No one believes I made a 1530 on the SAT (1600pt scale). BUT I DID!!!!!!

96. I have memorized both Monty Python's Holy Grail and The Blues Brothers. I love watching them alone and reciting all the lines.

97. I want this certain Jaguar that I know I will never get. But it’s the car I most lust after.

98. Believe Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, and Ray Charles were the voices of the 20th Century.

99. My middle name is Albert.

100. I am single because it just never seems to work out.

More Pics for Your Pleasure.

This was taken up the street from Soda San Bosco. You can see the Coke sign on the right side of the road. And I just noticed the year on the date is wrong, these were taken in 2009.
Another small store. This one sells soft drinks fairly cheap. Still have not found Dr. Pepper down here yet. If you turn left at the white house in the background and walk about two blocks you will find my house.
Just your average street in my neighborhood. Always a hill to walk up or down.
Above is my favorite place to dine out in Costa Rica. So far. Soda San Bosco. You can get enough food to choke a wood chipper for less that $5 The grey POS in front of the place belongs to the owner.
Costa Rica's version of the corner store. They have good prices here and very fresh produce.
Love comes in all variety here in CR. Yep that's two guys walking very close together

100 Things About Me Pt 3.

51. I masterminded something that helped bring down a university president. Maybe one day this
story can be told.

52. I spend more on books each year than John Edwards spends on hairspray.

53. I believe in the right to bear arms. I think people should be allowed to own just about any weapon they want to own and can afford to own. Pistols, rifles, sawed off shotguns, assault rifles, machine guns,sub-machine guns, heavy machine guns, crew served weapons, artillery, heavy artillery,anti-aircraft artillery, SAM batteries, hand held SAMs, anti-tank missiles, anti-tank and anti-personal mines, air or sea launched torpedoes. In 1789 the average citizen was able to purchase and posses EVERY weapon that was available to the Army and Navy and yet no one saw fit to pass any laws restricting their possession by citizens. Our constitution is the same as now so why should today be any different?

54. I notice all too many times how women use their sexuality to control men. I get very amused when one tries it on me and it fails to work.

55. I think just about any dish can be improved with the addition of onions.

56. No matter how hard I try I cannot keep my bedroom uncluttered. Now I have a housekeeper and it is still cluttered.

57. I have never met a bowl of beans I didn't like.

58. When I see couples touch each other, I always wonder how they decided to do it at that particular time and place, and whether they really feel like it or are contriving it.

59. I walk rather slow and usually get left behind to fend for myself.

60. A good lunch; grilled cheese sandwich, dill pickle spears and tomato soup.

61. The hospital I was born in was demolished and now there is a grocery store there.

62. I do not like having my picture taken

63. My first pets were a pair of turtles that lived in an aquarium. I had to leave them in VA when we moved back from there.

64. I don’t like to be late and will usually be at least 15 minutes early to events or meetings.

65. I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate.

66. I tried shaving my head once. But I have a pronounced sagittal crest so I appear more Klingon than human with my skull exposed.

67. I sometimes have a dream that I am back in college and with only one week until finals I suddenly realize that I have totally forgotten about a class. I showed up the first day but not since. The rest of the dream is about my desperate scramble to at least get a B in the class.

68. I have a great recipe for ice.

69. I have a large capacity to store useless information in my brain making me a formidable competitor in Trivial Pursuit

70. I hate reality TV. But would love to produce my own reality series called, "Tied to a Cape Buffalo".

71. If you ask me a question, you know I’ll give you the honest to God truth. If you don’t want to know, don’t ask.

72. I have no problem with the designated hitter rule. What's so great about having a 90% guaranteed strikeout every nine batters? However, I'm less impressed with people who make a career of only being a designated hitter, like Edgar Martinez. He was a great hitter, but hitting is only a part of baseball.

73. I try not to sleep under the covers. I sleep on top with a blanket. That way it’s easier and quicker to make the bed in the morning. Plus, even though I don’t like to be cold, I prefer it be a bit on the cool side when I’m sleeping.

74. Mosquitoes and other blood sucking insects avoid me. On the rare occasion that a mosquito will attempt to feed on my it dies. I know not why.

75. When I'm old I WILL be strange, angry and unpredictable - While I laugh inside

Enjoy

I always did like a little pineapple in my spaghetti. Been busy today. My Newfie housemate was making clam chowder and I was forced to help him eat it. So a light posting day for Monday