Shun Fa, My favorite Chinese resturant. Next door to Lourdes Church.
Kids and dad feeding pigeons in Plaza de Cultura in downtown San Jose.
Most houses here look more like this.....
than this. Although both house photos were taken from the same spot. I just turned
90 degrees to the right to take this photo.
4 comments:
Wow! on the houses. Let's see, gate in front of each, slanted roof, big front window, small yard, fence -- yeah, a bit of a difference, tho.
And the difference would be the people in the green house have a nice view out their windows and the people in the white house have to look at the dilapidated green house!!
Question --- are more of the houses single story? I mean, is it unusual at all for the white one to be two stories? I was thinking maybe they keep them lower and sprawl out, instead of up, bec. of hurricanes.
Signed,
Ruby Estelle
I wondered about that as well, Ruby, the sprawled out instead of up...I was informed it is cheaper to build "up" than "out". Takes more land to build "out". Also "gives" more to the guberment and the local econemy to have to rebuild (in the case of distruction). As much as I want to visit Costa Rica, it is a socialist country, and relies on socialistic values, except where the capitalistic values prosper, such as in the government. LOL
Best regards.
JW
You don't even notice the socialism here. Actually people are more free here than in the US. Taxes are lower. the average Tico only has 10% deducted from his check each payday. Also they get 13 months pay every year. The extra month coming in December. There is no sales tax to speak of. Of course import duties are high so manufactured goods are rather expensive. As for not visiting here because it is a socialist country not sure what you mean by that. Are you afraid the Costa Rican KGB will get you? As for socialistic values, I think you need to live here before you can judge that. Yeah people are lazy here and not forward thinking but they do value their freedom and honestly are more reluctant to give away that freedom in exchange for security and handout from the govt. than the people in the USA.
As for why the houses tend to have narrow faces on the front and build up. The lots here are usually narrow and deep. Has nothing to do with any evil socialist conspiracy or any secret government plot to have to rebuild. The house I live in has solid reinforced concrete walls and the floor between the first and second floor is 12 inches of reinforced concrete. I'll park it next to your house thru hurricane (we are too high in the mountains for that) or earthquake. I am sure your tract home built by "Slap Together Homes" will not fair as well as my Tico Bunker.
Oh, you're in mountains -- how great! I saw the mountains in your park picture, thought it was just in the distance.
I have a house at the beach and so many of the "original" houses were built like the ones in your pictures, sturdy and low -- and it was bec. of hurricanes, that's why I thought of it, they look so similar.
Signed,
Ruby Estelle
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