A Few Excursions

Since we arrived in San Ramón, we have had the good fortune to experience aspects of Costa Rican life that would be invisible to us without the kindness and generosity of our friends and neighbours Alfredo and Marielos. Alfredo, one of twelve children in the Sancho family, was raised on a farm located between San Ramon and Palmares. It is literally impossible to go anywhere with him without being introduced to one of his relatives.

Although San Ramón has all the amenities of a city and is rapidly evolving into a convenient and economical option for those who work in Alajuela or San José, its heart still beats to the hooves of the horses and the rhythm of the machetes.
So many changes in the four years since we bought our home in the barrio of Santaguito, in the canton of San Ramón.
the shack across the street is now a lovely three bedroom home,
the lot beside it, once the home of goats and cows,
has now been divided into two lots waiting for development,
the bumpy rock road is now paved,
fewer fields and more housing sites.

However, a short drive leads to places that have not yet been affected by the inevitable reach of urbanization. Like Piedades Sur, a small town of just over 300 which is a forty minute drive northwest from us. Apparently, Alfredo is also related to just about everyone there; if not, everyone knows someone to whom he is related. While looking for the home of Marielos' friend Lillian,we spent about an hour at Fransisco and Raphaela's house where we watched the chickens, the cows and several insect nests hanging from the roof of the front porch. Keep in mind, that Alfredo had never met them before; he just asked directions from the street, and we were invited in for a while. We walked out with a big of fresh lemons picked straight from the tree. For some reason Alfredo left with the branch of a tree (probably for its medicinal qualities).

We finally made to Lillian's for coffee and some corn tortillas and were then invited by Selenia, a young woman who speaks very good English, to her family's small farm next door (quinta) that featured a tilapia pond, home made cheese, cows, chickens, fruit trees and dogs.

We finished our excursion at Kiko's house. We have met Kiko before (Alfredo's fist cousin, of course). He runs a small taverna that seats about five (maybe six in a pinch) during the weekends. He was out of town working on construction, but his wife invited us into the house for a few shots of contrabando, home made blackberry wine and a look at the new granddaughter in the adjoining home of her daughter.

All in all, a wonderful peek into the lives of small town Ticos.
Even after four years living here, we are still amazed and overwhelmed at the hospitality and friendliness of Ticos.I suspect this is not the case in the turista locales (the Pacific beaches, San José), but it is around here.