LOS ANGLELES Sat. Aug. 10

            We sat outside Starbucks on the pavement, had coffee, and watched the world go by. Who went by?

             We were in Hollywood: there was Darth Vader, Chewbacca The Wookie, a Stormtrooper, Batman, Spiderman, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, ‘Chickie?’ and other characters I did not recognize. Some just seemed to be dressed up for fun but as no particular ‘character’.

            As well as these, there were hundreds of tourists milling around – many young people and families. You could get your photo taken with any of these famous ‘characters’. We didn’t. Lots of people did, and it seemed a small donation was acceptable. I can understand this. It must cost the parading wearers to get such good costumes to ‘show off’ and entertain the tourists.

            Shrek’s statue stood on a corner, and all sorts of people –even Bruce – had their photo taken with him. We were just outside Madam Tussard’s with crowds going in and out. It cost $29 to go in and obviously took more time to enjoy than we had available.

            Before we made our way back to the coach we explored the brass ‘stars’ on the footpath and the hand and footprints – even signatures dating from 1930s - in the concrete of the forecourt at the Chinese Theatre. Round the back where our coach was parked there were coaches- large and small – coming and going all the time. Some were smaller, topless “coaches” not much bigger than a ute, but with rows of velvet lined seats  full of tourists going to the film studios and the streets where many film stars lived. Large coaches are not allowed in these areas any more.

            We toured areas previously only names to us: Beverly Hills with its Rodeo Drive –the famous world renowned shopping district. All the big names were on the shop fronts and people were milling up and down sidewalks. I didn’t see anyone carrying shopping bags, so this Saturday they were looking not buying.

            The  famous natural amphitheatre of Hollywood Bowl was closed to our coach as there was some rehearsal on. We saw Olvera Street Market Place with its memorial of the founding of Los Angeles in a forested area in 1781. Only 14 families arrived from Mexico, sent by the Spanish Missions to found a settlement to protect the coast for trade. Of course now it is America’s third city - a World City – of over 13 million people with a GDP over $700 billion.

            We spent quite while in the actual Central Business District of Los Angeles round the block after block of highrise architect designed buildings. We stopped briefly at the Disney Concert Hall/ Music Centre to admire Frank Gehry’s great building set in its park with fountain and lakes.

            Our guide was very keen to show us the big ‘HOLLYWOOD’ sign on the hills, which she seemed to think was the equivalent for Los Angeles of Sydney’s signature Opera House. There was too much smog to see it clearly or get photographs of ourselves with it the background.

            No one challenged her, but perhaps I am just parochial. I thought some big letters on a hill were a very poor second to our Opera House or Harbour Bridge, and certainly to the Statue of Liberty for New York.

            

ACTIVITIES ON BOARD Wed Aug. 7

            Today’s a ‘sea day’ on the way to Los Angeles. What does everyone do all day?  That is, those like me not writing a blog?

            “I’ll be seeing you, in all the old familiar places

            That this heart of mine embraces, all days through

            In that small café, the park across the way . . .”

.  .  .  150 voices swelled and filled the Princess Theatre.

Today at 2pm we had “The Concert” by ‘The World Cruise Pop Choir’.

 The main Princess Theatre was full to overflowing with appreciative passengers, and many were standing three deep up the back. This is the third concert the Choir have presented since Sydney. There’s been one for each sector of the World Cruise.

            About 150 men and women passengers filled the stage and presented songs like ‘In The Mood’, ‘On The Sunny Side of the Street’, and popular classics like ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’ and ‘We’ll Meet Again’ from Wartime England. There was swingin’ stuff like ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’.

            Just before we got to New York, the Choir did a presentation in the main foyer of the ship, where everyone else lined up around the four floors of the atrium to listen to their “American Trilogy” with its stirring ‘Glory, Glory, Hallelujah’ refrain. Alan and Allana who run the Choir had borrowed a large  Stars and Stripes flag from the Captain on the Bridge and it was magnificently unfurled to hang down two floors of the Atrium.

            Allan and Alana are an English brother and sister team employed by Princess to run various musical activities about the ship. ‘The Choir’ is an extra service they do for love of music, and the pleasure it gives them to see so many of the passengers enjoy the singing.

            Every ‘sea day’ there’s Choir Practice in the Vista Lounge at 12.15 lunch time, and Bruce joins the other hundred and something each time – just for the pleasure of singing in such an enjoyable and well trained group. Today Bruce put his ten pages of words and jotted notes away in a drawer for the memory. Allan has promised another ten pages of different songs for after Los Angeles. They will learn these and present another concert before Sydney.

What do all the other people do who are not in the Choir? Everyday there’s a four sheet daily guide called the ‘Princess Patter”. It tells you the whole programme: the day and date, the expected weather, sunrise and sunset times, and the dress code for the evening.  Tonight is ‘Smart Casual’ dress for dinner – that is, what you might wear to a nice restaurant. The alternate is ‘Formal’ dress. Sometimes that’s for a cocktail party in a lounge – with the Captain – and with free cocktails and canapés. Other times it’s just for dinner. Bruce hates this Dress Code but I quite like getting dressed up occasionally.

The ‘Patter’ gives you the whole day’s doings on the ship. With it you know the complete programme for the day. That is: what’on, what time and where.

Here are selections from today’s Patter. There are physical things in the morning like ‘Stretch and Release class’, ‘Abs Workshop’ and ‘Core Pilates’.  There are Brain Teaser pages to be collected from the Library, Bridge classes for beginners, Aerobics and different levels of exercises, a Table Tennis Competition, and a fun Bean Bag Toss or Carpet Bowls for any takers down in the Atrium.

Activities are run by the half dozen Cruise Director’s Team. The Cruise Director is an important Crew Officer. He is responsible for organizing and staffing all the activities and entertainment on the ship, and liaises closely with the Captain and officers.  Of course, Entertainers who come on board to perform are employed by Princess Headquarters in USA, but it’s up to the Cruise Director to set up all the daily programmes.

On sea days there’s usually a 10am lecture. Today’s is a Destination Lecture by Hutch on Los Angeles (we met Hutch commenting on Panama Day). Lots of people like these lectures and you have to be early to be sure of a seat. So you see people settled up to 30 minutes beforehand with their books, crossword or other puzzles or games on hand held devices. Often there’s another interesting lecture at 11.30 on a different topic. Today it’s an  ‘Enrichment Lecture’  called ‘California here we Come’ by a retired teaching-professor from US called Gary Sharan whose talks have proved very popular.

There are classes in dance. Today’s is Line Dance. Another day it can be different forms of ballroom dancing – tomorrow  it is Cha Cha. There’s Shuffleboard, Golf Putting, a Basketball Shootout, Water Volleyball and Table Tennis for sport enthusiasts, and a meeting for Card and Mahjong enthusiasts.

Later in the afternoon today there’s a Wine Tasting, a Probus Members’ Get-together, a Get-together for DIY enthusiasts, and various Quiz and Trivia challenges. Sometimes the Get-togethers are for people like iPad users. There are movies on the Stateroom TVs, sometimes in one of the theatres, and there’s even a huge Outdoor Movie Screen on Deck 12 (with the swimming pools and sun lounges).  There’s also a popular ‘Bingo’ session which is ongoing day to day till someone wins the increasing jackpot.

The Lotus Spa has its own programme of presentations. Today it’s ‘Burn Fat Faster’ in the Aerobics Studio on Deck 12 at eleven o’clock, and ‘Secrets of Aromatherapy’ in The Lotus Spa at 2pm. The Lotus Spa also has Hairdressing, Manicure, Massages (you pay) and a whole Gymnasium available for anyone who wants to exercise. There’s also a more or less constant stream of walkers who pound around Deck 7 all day. I met a lady of 86 the other day who enjoys 9 laps of the Deck per day in lots of three laps at a time – 3 after breakfast, 3 about 11 o’clock, and 3 in the afternoon. Three laps make up a mile. I can only think ‘there’s no accounting for taste’ of activities, though I’m sure I’d be a lot fitter now if I’d had such a regime years ago!   

If there are no activities above that you fancy there’s also the Casino open 24 hours, lots of Bars and lounges about the ship, and Music Entertainment round the ship in the evenings. The Boutiques are open and always have a ‘Sale’ at tables on Deck 6 on seadays.

And - there’s always food available somewhere!

COSTA RICA -Puntarenas Sun. Aug. 4

            What do you know about Costa Rica?

            Costa Rica – “one of those Caribbean or Central American Countries? – or was it maybe at the top of South America? ”

I only ever had a very vague idea about Costa Rica and actually knew nothing about it at all.  Now – after a few hours there – I think it’s a great little country.

It is in Central America – in that narrow isthmus bit - with Panama to the South and Nicaragua to the North.  Got a picture of that?  It stretches right across from the Caribbean on the east through to the Pacific on the west.

Apparently Columbus sailed the ocean blue more than once. He made three trips to America. (‘Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fifteen hundred and two’ - see, it even rhymes again). This was Christopher Columbus’s third and last trip to the Americas. He landed on the East Coast and for some reason only he knew he thought that it was the coast of a rich land.  Though the people were mainly subsistence farmers he named it “Rich Coast” ie Costa Rica.

We docked at the very long pier of Puntarenas on the West Coast. Although it was only 8 o’clock on a Sunday, we could see kids swimming in the ocean and playing on the sand near the inner end of the pier, but the pier itself was just that- a pier. A long concrete track out into the bay – not even wide enough for the tour buses to turn around, so they all backed out down the pier. Puntarenas used to be one of the country’s best ports, but you wouldn’t know that from looking around.

We set off in one of four coaches on the Princess Tour called “Scenic Drive, Cultural Show and Shopping”. Does that sound vague? The town of Puntarenas is only small and we were soon out into the country towards the next Province.  Everything is green. I saw banana plants, rain forest and lots of small houses in ones and twos along the roads. Houses were a bit old fashioned and looked like a ‘Developing Country’ settlements. Maybe they were like the houses from small Australian country towns in the late 1800s – single storied, two or three small bedrooms, vine covered verandahs with old chairs out the front, and a corrugated iron roof that sat like a hat about its ears.

Houses seemed to have decorative bars on windows and doors. I didn’t see whether these had insect wire. Our guide pointed out that this custom had probably been inherited from the early Spanish settlers who were used to having decorative protection on housing. There were lots of dogs relaxing in front yards and hens pecking around. Not exactly pecking grass lawns, but pecking in the greenery around houses. People relaxing on their verandahs (remember, it was a Sunday in a very Catholic country) smiled and waved to us.

The roads we travelled were good - Sealed surfaces and wide enough for one lane each way. Gutters on both sides were metre deep troughs with straight walls,  and inspired the thought it would be a sudden disaster to put a wheel in one on a bend. Cars on the roads were fairly modern and looked well kept. The rainforest came right to the road on both sides and suggested lots of rain would be the reason for such deep gashes into soil and rock on both sides of the road. Signs indicated this was the main road called the ‘highway’ to the Capital City of San Jose, 70 miles inland, though it didn’t look like the kind of‘ ‘highway’ we are used to.

Small towns we passed through all had a central stone church, parks and shops. People were out and about around the churches and in towns as Mass was generally about 10am – and, as I said, this was a Sunday. Our guide pointed out there were no name signs on streets. To my surprise, he said it was the custom not to have names of streets, and you found a particular house by directions from some obvious place like a church. It might be “two streets to the right, turn left and the third house on the left”. It seemed to me that “21 Brown Street” would be easier than “third house with a big tree”.

When I look back at my impressions so far, it sounds like a third world country. Forgive me. I believe it’s anything but ‘third world’. It may be still ‘developing’, but has already come along way.

Costa Rica declared independence from Spain in 1821, and these days is a politically stable democracy, with an elected parliament. More impressive, in 1983 Costa Rica made an official declaration of neutrality and dissolved its Defence Force. The money released from the Army was put into education and every small town now has a school. Education if free and compulsory, and the country has a 97% literacy rate. Primary and secondary schools are free and University is low cost. For example, a year has two semesters and in First Year Uni, the fee is $700 a semester. There are many private universities costing more, but a State degree is more valued by employers because it is backed by rigorous standards and examinations. Private universities may not have such high standards.

The main exports are in technology, medical, and agricultural.

Technology: many large technology companies have branches in Costa Rica. Intel is here, and many other well known companies. I can’t remember now which ones they are. I guess wages here are lower than in the US, and there’s a stable economy.

You don’t think of Medical being a class of ‘export’.  There is a high standard of surgical, dental and other medical services. So many people come from the US for procedures which cost about 30% below US for the same thing. It was a surprise to me that there are many United States citizens who choose to live in Costa Rica.

The country values tourism of all kinds, especially the medical, but there’s a growing market for Ecotourism. For whatever reason people come, they tend to stay or return, travel about the country and contribute to the economy.

Coffee, originally introduced from Cuba, was a valuable cash crop when independence came from Spain. The country has rich volcanic soils so can grow lots of tropical crops. Some of these have been cacao, tobacco and sugar. With the change of society’s attitudes to sugar, it has dwindled in importance, except a contract with Coca Cola for sugar sustains this production.  The big exports of Costa Rica today are fresh fruits – pineapples and bananas – and of course coffee. 47% of coffee export ends in the US.

Our first stop on our ‘scenic’ tour was at ‘El Jardin’ – a craft display and co-operative market for the artisans of this area. We were welcomed with free samples of the tropical fruit of the area, a delicious drink made from the fruits, and sample cups of Costa Rican coffee. The coffee was full of flavour without any bitterness that coffee often has. I have been sorry ever since that I didn’t buy a packet to take back to Australia with me. They offered free postage of purchases to USA – but, alas, Australia would be too far. I’ve been trying to be cautious with buying stuff as I’ve already been worrying how I’m going to pack to go home with all the  extra bits and pieces I’ve already acquired. And what’s more, that’s a question Bruce has also been raising loudly and often.

The arts and crafts were colourful and very enticing. I ended up buying a notebook with paper made from Banana (remember I mentioned ‘eco-tourism? and I believe the nation is big into recycling stuff as well). There was a choice of paper made from unused parts of other fruits, and vegetation. I also succumbed to the attraction of a brightly coloured wooden Scarlet Macaw bird about 30cms tall for a spot on a wall. A thought – I wonder how Australian Customs feel about a Scarlet Macaw bird made from rainforest wood?

 El Jardin at least had an address. (San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica) Not a street name and number but a regional address. It also has a web address (www.eljardin.co.cr) and an email address (eljardincr@racsa.co.cr). Not that I’m likely to be using any of them but I could if I wanted to.

That brings up another thought. There is no internet shopping possible in Costa Rica because no one has a delivery address. I suppose there might be Post Office Box addresses and the like, but our guide insisted that internet buying was rare, even if the young people were as IT savvy as anywhere else in the world, liking the latest ipod, ipad, mobile phone as in any other country.

Our last stop for the day was at a park in one of the small towns, Esparza, which boasted a central park, plaza and church. Here a small group of local school children with their teachers put on a short programme of dance. These were primary school kids presenting a form of local dance and dress. The two tiny 5 year olds were very cute in their very full skirts of layered colours which they held out as they swished and sashayed. The eight girls and three boys entertained us, and had a fun ‘mock bull fight’. One little larrikan put on a wooden bull’s head and charged the girls – and even members of the audience who took part with enthusiasm. I believe they do have ‘bull fights’ but the bulls are not harmed they said, and it is just a display of clever men  dancing and ‘playing’ with the bulls.

What else would I like to say about Costa Rica? It’s small. Under 20,000 square miles. We were told it’s about the size of West Virginia. I’m not familiar with West Virginia so I can’t say what would be an Australian equivalent. Its only 275 miles from North to South, and the Isthmus is narrow. It has a population of about four and a half million people.

Temperatures are roughly an even 28°C all year and it rains all the time, though we had a dry, overcast day – quite humid. Our guide said there are two seasons: “wet” and “wetter”. Hence those deep troughs on both sides of the road to San Jose.

I went back to the ship with a good feeling about Costa Rica. One day I would like to come back and see a few more its excellent tourist facilities the other passengers enjoyed. One was a kind of aerial tram that took them above the forest among the birds and butterflies and tree tops. There was a nature walk and a boat ride that people enjoyed a lot. Others enjoyed their visit to a coffee plantation where they were shown every part of the process of producing coffee.

The lunch provided for some of the tourists was a traditional buffet featuring the common dish eaten most days by locals - salad, grilled chicken or meat and “gallo pinto”- a dish of white rice (imported), black beans, onion, peppers and spices all fried together.

Although the likelihood of my coming back to Costa Rica is low due to my age, disability and the distance from where I live, I take away warm appreciation, admiration, and a general ‘good feeling’ from my visit here. 

COSTA RICA -Puntarenas Sun. Aug. 4

            What do you know about Costa Rica?

            Costa Rica – “one of those Caribbean or Central American Countries? – or was it maybe at the top of South America? ”

I only ever had a very vague idea about Costa Rica and actually knew nothing about it at all.  Now – after a few hours there – I think it’s a great little country.

It is in Central America – in that narrow isthmus bit - with Panama to the South and Nicaragua to the North.  Got a picture of that?  It stretches right across from the Caribbean on the east through to the Pacific on the west.

Apparently Columbus sailed the ocean blue more than once. He made three trips to America. (‘Columbus sailed the ocean blue in fifteen hundred and two’ - see, it even rhymes again). This was Christopher Columbus’s third and last trip to the Americas. He landed on the East Coast and for some reason only he knew he thought that it was the coast of a rich land.  Though the people were mainly subsistence farmers he named it “Rich Coast” ie Costa Rica.

We docked at the very long pier of Puntarenas on the West Coast. Although it was only 8 o’clock on a Sunday, we could see kids swimming in the ocean and playing on the sand near the inner end of the pier, but the pier itself was just that- a pier. A long concrete track out into the bay – not even wide enough for the tour buses to turn around, so they all backed out down the pier. Puntarenas used to be one of the country’s best ports, but you wouldn’t know that from looking around.

We set off in one of four coaches on the Princess Tour called “Scenic Drive, Cultural Show and Shopping”. Does that sound vague? The town of Puntarenas is only small and we were soon out into the country towards the next Province.  Everything is green. I saw banana plants, rain forest and lots of small houses in ones and twos along the roads. Houses were a bit old fashioned and looked like a ‘Developing Country’ settlements. Maybe they were like the houses from small Australian country towns in the late 1800s – single storied, two or three small bedrooms, vine covered verandahs with old chairs out the front, and a corrugated iron roof that sat like a hat about its ears.

Houses seemed to have decorative bars on windows and doors. I didn’t see whether these had insect wire. Our guide pointed out that this custom had probably been inherited from the early Spanish settlers who were used to having decorative protection on housing. There were lots of dogs relaxing in front yards and hens pecking around. Not exactly pecking grass lawns, but pecking in the greenery around houses. People relaxing on their verandahs (remember, it was a Sunday in a very Catholic country) smiled and waved to us.

The roads we travelled were good - Sealed surfaces and wide enough for one lane each way. Gutters on both sides were metre deep troughs with straight walls,  and inspired the thought it would be a sudden disaster to put a wheel in one on a bend. Cars on the roads were fairly modern and looked well kept. The rainforest came right to the road on both sides and suggested lots of rain would be the reason for such deep gashes into soil and rock on both sides of the road. Signs indicated this was the main road called the ‘highway’ to the Capital City of San Jose, 70 miles inland, though it didn’t look like the kind of‘ ‘highway’ we are used to.

Small towns we passed through all had a central stone church, parks and shops. People were out and about around the churches and in towns as Mass was generally about 10am – and, as I said, this was a Sunday. Our guide pointed out there were no name signs on streets. To my surprise, he said it was the custom not to have names of streets, and you found a particular house by directions from some obvious place like a church. It might be “two streets to the right, turn left and the third house on the left”. It seemed to me that “21 Brown Street” would be easier than “third house with a big tree”.

When I look back at my impressions so far, it sounds like a third world country. Forgive me. I believe it’s anything but ‘third world’. It may be still ‘developing’, but has already come along way.

Costa Rica declared independence from Spain in 1821, and these days is a politically stable democracy, with an elected parliament. More impressive, in 1983 Costa Rica made an official declaration of neutrality and dissolved its Defence Force. The money released from the Army was put into education and every small town now has a school. Education if free and compulsory, and the country has a 97% literacy rate. Primary and secondary schools are free and University is low cost. For example, a year has two semesters and in First Year Uni, the fee is $700 a semester. There are many private universities costing more, but a State degree is more valued by employers because it is backed by rigorous standards and examinations. Private universities may not have such high standards.

The main exports are in technology, medical, and agricultural.

Technology: many large technology companies have branches in Costa Rica. Intel is here, and many other well known companies. I can’t remember now which ones they are. I guess wages here are lower than in the US, and there’s a stable economy.

You don’t think of Medical being a class of ‘export’.  There is a high standard of surgical, dental and other medical services. So many people come from the US for procedures which cost about 30% below US for the same thing. It was a surprise to me that there are many United States citizens who choose to live in Costa Rica.

The country values tourism of all kinds, especially the medical, but there’s a growing market for Ecotourism. For whatever reason people come, they tend to stay or return, travel about the country and contribute to the economy.

Coffee, originally introduced from Cuba, was a valuable cash crop when independence came from Spain. The country has rich volcanic soils so can grow lots of tropical crops. Some of these have been cacao, tobacco and sugar. With the change of society’s attitudes to sugar, it has dwindled in importance, except a contract with Coca Cola for sugar sustains this production.  The big exports of Costa Rica today are fresh fruits – pineapples and bananas – and of course coffee. 47% of coffee export ends in the US.

Our first stop on our ‘scenic’ tour was at ‘El Jardin’ – a craft display and co-operative market for the artisans of this area. We were welcomed with free samples of the tropical fruit of the area, a delicious drink made from the fruits, and sample cups of Costa Rican coffee. The coffee was full of flavour without any bitterness that coffee often has. I have been sorry ever since that I didn’t buy a packet to take back to Australia with me. They offered free postage of purchases to USA – but, alas, Australia would be too far. I’ve been trying to be cautious with buying stuff as I’ve already been worrying how I’m going to pack to go home with all the  extra bits and pieces I’ve already acquired. And what’s more, that’s a question Bruce has also been raising loudly and often.

The arts and crafts were colourful and very enticing. I ended up buying a notebook with paper made from Banana (remember I mentioned ‘eco-tourism? and I believe the nation is big into recycling stuff as well). There was a choice of paper made from unused parts of other fruits, and vegetation. I also succumbed to the attraction of a brightly coloured wooden Scarlet Macaw bird about 30cms tall for a spot on a wall. A thought – I wonder how Australian Customs feel about a Scarlet Macaw bird made from rainforest wood?

 El Jardin at least had an address. (San Ramon, Alajuela, Costa Rica) Not a street name and number but a regional address. It also has a web address (www.eljardin.co.cr) and an email address (eljardincr@racsa.co.cr). Not that I’m likely to be using any of them but I could if I wanted to.

That brings up another thought. There is no internet shopping possible in Costa Rica because no one has a delivery address. I suppose there might be Post Office Box addresses and the like, but our guide insisted that internet buying was rare, even if the young people were as IT savvy as anywhere else in the world, liking the latest ipod, ipad, mobile phone as in any other country.

Our last stop for the day was at a park in one of the small towns, Esparza, which boasted a central park, plaza and church. Here a small group of local school children with their teachers put on a short programme of dance. These were primary school kids presenting a form of local dance and dress. The two tiny 5 year olds were very cute in their very full skirts of layered colours which they held out as they swished and sashayed. The eight girls and three boys entertained us, and had a fun ‘mock bull fight’. One little larrikan put on a wooden bull’s head and charged the girls – and even members of the audience who took part with enthusiasm. I believe they do have ‘bull fights’ but the bulls are not harmed they said, and it is just a display of clever men  dancing and ‘playing’ with the bulls.

What else would I like to say about Costa Rica? It’s small. Under 20,000 square miles. We were told it’s about the size of West Virginia. I’m not familiar with West Virginia so I can’t say what would be an Australian equivalent. Its only 275 miles from North to South, and the Isthmus is narrow. It has a population of about four and a half million people.

Temperatures are roughly an even 28°C all year and it rains all the time, though we had a dry, overcast day – quite humid. Our guide said there are two seasons: “wet” and “wetter”. Hence those deep troughs on both sides of the road to San Jose.

I went back to the ship with a good feeling about Costa Rica. One day I would like to come back and see a few more its excellent tourist facilities the other passengers enjoyed. One was a kind of aerial tram that took them above the forest among the birds and butterflies and tree tops. There was a nature walk and a boat ride that people enjoyed a lot. Others enjoyed their visit to a coffee plantation where they were shown every part of the process of producing coffee.

The lunch provided for some of the tourists was a traditional buffet featuring the common dish eaten most days by locals - salad, grilled chicken or meat and “gallo pinto”- a dish of white rice (imported), black beans, onion, peppers and spices all fried together.

Although the likelihood of my coming back to Costa Rica is low due to my age, disability and the distance from where I live, I take away warm appreciation, admiration, and a general ‘good feeling’ from my visit here.