But Before I Return Home......

I am returning to Vancouver on April 17th. Today, the papers issued the following announcement:


Running Of The Bulls Pamplona Style Will Be Imitated In San Ramón

In the best tradition of Pamplona, Spain, the city of San Ramón, Alajuela, will have its own running of the bulls on April 16.

The city has been busy building organizing its own running of the bulls that will see the bulls run through some city streets instead of being confined in a bull ring.

The running of the bulls of San Ramón will start at 5pm on April 16 and for two weekends more to raise funds for a school and a colleged in the city.

Of course, many of the business owners of the La Sabana street, one of the streets that will be used in the run, are questioning the activity.

To ensure public safety, the city is erecting posts and fences to control contact between the bulls and bystanders.

The running of the bulls of San Ramón will not be like the savage fiestas of San Fermín in Spain where people run ahead of the raging bulls that has resulted in deaths, in the running of the bulls of San Ramón people will be allowed to run alongside and at the rear of the bulls, but not in front.

I am a little disappointed we will be unable to run in front of the bulls.

The Neighbourhood

Time to post a few pictures that might provide a context for where we live in San Ramon. We are about a twenty minute walk from the centre of town (two kilometers closer to the Pacific coastal port of Puntarenas where the cruise ships dock.) Although, San Ramon is only fifty kilometers Northeast of Puntarenas, the drive takes at least an hour as the highway is only one lane each way and wends its way up and down and around sharp curves. As it used by trucks bringing goods to and from the port, on steep hills, traffic can be almost at a stand still as lines of semis strain to climb and descend.

On my walk back home from the mall, I took a few photos of our barrio (Santiaguita): our neighbourhood as it looks from the highway, a large field, a tiny corner store just down the road, and Super Pro, the bicycle fabrication plant, at the bottom of our hill.

Warm Weather Wings

For the past three or four days, it has been unseasonably cool in San Ramon. The temperature reached a high of only 19 degrees, and for the first time, I had to don long pants. Interestingly, adult males in Costa Rica (and, I suspect, all Latin American countries) seldom, if ever, wear shorts. Such frivolous wear is consigned to adolescents and Norte Americanos. I refuse to make allowances for old age with its transformation of appendages to matchsticks. If a Straw Man I am, so be it.
Today, the weather turned for the better; the rising thermometer a harbinger for birds of all colour.

Differences

From a home buzzing with the activity and energy that accompany Elizabeth and Ania: decorating, re-decorating; combing the country to find (or not to find) an out of the way vivero with just the right plants for our expanding garden spots; miles spent searching for muebles to furnish new living spaces; searching markets and aisles for oats, flax, chai, four colours of vegetables and fruits and the ever so important corvina or tilapia.
Mostly, just hanging out together and filling our home with family.
What a six weeks. Just like that, over. All work completed, no more sounds of saws or thrice daily trips to the ferreteria or lumber yards. Just fine tuning, following to do lists to prepare for this December when work commitments will no longer preclude both Elizabeth and I being here for five months.
I have posted a few photos of what used to be the laundry room and is now the TV room, our renovated patio and Elizabeth and Rosario whistling while they work.

A Few Road Trips

Over the past little while, we embarked on a few sojourns: the rehabilitation zoo in La Garita and up to the soothing gardens and agua thermales at the foot of the Arenal Volcano.

House Progress

Well, the renovations are drawing to a close (for now, at least, as Elizabeth manages to construct new lists of essential items on a daily basis). New paint (I will not really miss the pinkish hue with primer highlights that greeted us every time we entered the driveway), nor the dirt flavoured concrete that characterized the side walls. San Ramon is now firmly ensconced in the dry season with temperatures climbing to 27-28 daily. Thank goodness, the place is cool at night. A few days in the south reinforced that we are not creatures comfortable with plus 30 temperatures and high humidity.
Next week, we are off to the Arenal volcano area to luxuriate in the hot springs.

Manuel Antonio

On, Tuesday, we made the three hour drive south down the Pacific Coast to stay in Quepos for the night and visit Manuel Antonio National Park. It is the second most popular Park in Costa Rica and features a variety of species of monkeys, birds, sloths, iguanas and lizards and three of the best beaches in the country. The weather was stiflingly hot, about 36 degrees.