August 2 holiday (PHOTO: La Basilica Cartago)

The following article is a copy of an informative e-mail from Karen Gordon, admissions administrator at our school:  

Dia de la Virgen de los Angeles, August 2.  

During the course of this week, thousands of people from all over CR and even Central America have been walking to Cartago, located 24 km southeast of San Jose.  By Saturday, August 2, well over a million pilgrims (peregrinos) will visit La Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles to pay homage to CR's patron saint on her special day.  

Cartago is the former capital of CR.  Founded in 1563 by Juan Vasquez de Coronado (the Spanish governor), it was CR's only city for almost 150 years. Irazu (a beautiful national park) rises up from the edge of the town - an active volcano.  Earthquakes have toppled Cartago repeatedly over the years, including major quakes in 1841 and 1910.  You can still see ruins in the center of the city today.  

Cartago's most famous building is the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles, which is dedicated to the patron saint of CR.  Within the walls of the Byzantine-style cathedral is a shrine consisting of the tiny 8-inch figure of La Negrita (or La Virgen) embedded in a gold and jewel encrusted shrine above the main altar.  

Legend has it that La Negrita first revealed herself to a peasant girl, Juana Pereira, in 1635. Juana supposedly found a stone "doll" holding the Christ child on a rock next to a stream.  She took it home and placed it in a box, and twice it mysteriously appeared at the original spot where it was discovered.  A cathedral was built upon the rock where La Virgen was discovered, and although it was toppled by another earthquake in 1926, another was built directly over it. 

Today, you can visit the cathedral and actually walk through the underground passages to see the rock and the spring, which are said to have curative powers.  My mother-in-law always has a bottle of "agua bendita" (holy water) in the house.  I remember her putting it on Christopher's head every day for weeks after he was born, especially when he cried - and in his bath water!!  Most babies who come into Catholic families are presented to La Virgen as part of their welcome into the world, and many have the middle name of "los Angeles" to give protection to the child, and to honor La Negrita.

Miraculous healing powers have been attributed to La Negrita, and over the years, millions of pilgrims have come to the shrine seeking cures for their illnesses and troubles, at all times of the year.  On any given day, you will find people entering the cathedral on their knees, "walking" down the center aisle, and praying.  The walls of the underground passageways are covered with a fascinating array of silver images left as thanks for cures effected by La Negrita. Amid the plethora of diminutive silver arms and legs, there are also hands, feet, hearts, lungs, kidneys, eyes, torsos, babies, families, trucks, planes, even sports trophies in thanks for helping teams win big games.  Outside the cathedral vendors sell a wide selection of these images, as well as replicas of La Negrita.  

August 2 is the day that is dedicated in devotion to this powerful statue.   If you have a television and happen to see the news, they will be reporting over the next few days about La Romeria (The Pilgrimage) and about the pilgrims who are making their way to the La Basilica. There are always a few groups of people from Santa Elena, Monteverde, San Luis, and other neighboring towns who walk to Cartago (a 3-day journey) to ask La Virgen for a favor, or to give thanks for favors granted.  (sources:  Lonely Planet, Frommers, and Fabricio de los Angeles Camach, my husband!)

... This story reminded me of 12 years ago, when Jim's mom Marnee confessed to me that she had made the sign of the cross on Valerie's forehead, chanting "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost".  She was surprised to learn that we had not seen to the baptism of our little 6 month old.  So one night when she and Pa were baby sitting, while Jim and I went out, she snuck into the sleeping baby's nursery, and completed the ritual to her satisfaction, using tap water in place of the traditional holy water.  Traditions aren't so different around the world.  Hey, it made Marnee feel better.

Kiera turns 6

Today we went horseback riding at Sabine's stable, down the road, 5 minutes walk.  Her 6 yr old daughter Tara lead the tour, while Miguel patiently took Kiera's horse's lead. Up the mountain, past some coffee fields, across some mud-and-stick bridges.  One hour up and one hour down.  The view at the top was amazing.  The Nicoya peninsula was visible past the rolling hills and pastures.  This has to be the most beautiful country on the planet.  (This is when you get jealous.  I would, too, except I am here.)  

I would like take this opportunity to thank all my devoted fans for your support and encouragement in the writing of this blog.  Both of you.  Your comments are very dear to me.   

By the way, this horseback riding adventure was in honor of Kiera's last day to be 5.  Tomorrow we celebrate with our new neighbors and friends, cake (double chocolate)  and a pinata.  

There is talk of a brief foray into Nicaragua with the other US and UK families, about 6 of whom attend our Creativa school.  If it happens I'll cover it.

For those of you who were less encouraging about our radical sabatical, you will be satisfied to know our refrigerator broke down at the St. Louis house, to the dismay of our tenants.  So something has gone wrong.  It sure hasn't been the weather here, it's in the 70s every day, sunny, with occasional drizzle.  Just enough rain to be refreshing and keep the dust down.  

Last night we went to the Quaker Friend's school to attend a dance.  These are held about twice a month in the prayer space, which is the main room.  They scoot the pews against the walls and the band plays square-dance type folk music.  The band is about six fiddles, a 'cello and a guitar.    There were probably just under 60 people, youngsters to folks who've been around for a while.  Many of the regular attendees know the dances, and they teach the steps to the new-bees.  We were only there for one dance, because Val wasn't feeling well.  But get this, it was the "Pat-a-Cake Polka", the same dance Christina and I learned one night after presenting our seminar at the Rural (National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Addictions) the last three summers.  From Menomonie, a small town in Wisconsin, USA, to the mountain top in Monteverde, Costa Rica. It really is a small world.

We spotted two sloths at two separate times in two different trees taking naps- in the middle of the town.  Locals tend to spot them, stop and point up.  A small crowd soon gathers, made up of ticos and tourists alike.  The sloth finds a spot where branches come together and lays on his back, like one might on a hammock.  He's just a fat ball of fur laying in the tree with his belly exposed, but well camoflaged by the thick foliage.  I guess they sleep in the quieter areas outside of town as well, but they aren't as likely to be spotted because of fewer pedestrians.  

Wow.

Piano!

Today Manolo (landlord and amigo) repaired the electric piano.  Val had me look up sheet music to  Sarah Bareille's Love Song, so I practiced about and hour.  

I made Susan's Best Soup today for lunch- -all the leftovers from the refrigerator into a pot, add water and spices and simmer an hour or so.  Jim and I liked it, Val had half a bowl and K passed.  Then we exploded hot dogs in the microwave.  (Remember to remove plastic casings on individual dogs before cooking next time.  Lucky I made this mistake in microwave and not broiling them in the oven.)  Not bad tasting.

Today is Thursday.  It has been drizzling or raining all day so far.  No trip to the market today.

The drier in the house works great.  Close the windows on the third floor (Val's room) to let it heat up to about 80-85 degrees.  Hang clothes on cloths line or hammock up there.  Towels do well off the second floor balcony.

We found bats, about three or four, sleeping in the eaves of Val's room this morning.  They haven't left yet.  Saw a pair of Toucanettes outside the window of the master bedroom today. Jim suspects they have a nest nearby.  They are parrot green with thick black beaks, but smaller than toucans.  Still working on adding photos to this site.

We now have our C.R. driver's license and debit cards!  The license took about four hours.  It would have taken several days if not for the help of the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR).  

Bernardito walked us through a maze of paperwork, to a clinic where our blood was drawn to get our blood type, a physical, an eye exam, more paperwork, and finally the photo place.  Jim took care of getting the Debit cards.

We are working toward becoming residents.  The health care costs for residents are phenomenally low here.  Docs aren't revered as gods in C.R. like they are in the U.S.  The pharmacist can refill almost all of our Rx's with little hassle, usually with just the bottle label.

Our flight went without incident.  Leaving the San jose airport (in Alejuela) was more interesting, however.  We retrieved a total of 17 bags, and used one of those airport carts.  Once outside the doors, Jim chose a cabby and followed him to his cab with Kiera and two of the large duffles, behind a cement wall partition to the street. 

Val and I had the remainder of the bags, including the cart.  I stopped on the sidewalk just out side of the airport door to look which way Jim went.  I forgot that all travelers are fair game for the cabby free-for-all.  

Cabbies know the words "You need help?" in english, then start talking rapidly in spanish, while trying to grab your luggage and take it toward their cab. Anyone can try for your business, so it is not unusual to have three cabbies hollering at you in spanish.  I said no and waved them each away, as is the custom.  Their manager said in english, "You cannot take the cart out of the airport, ma'am."  I said "Pardonne" which I think is french instead of spanish; "Desculpeme" is the proper word for apologizing in this case.  I stood still with the cart and other bags and asked Val to find her Dad.  Then the cabbies started trying to remove my luggage from the cart again.  I had to grab one guy's arm and say "Stop!" The manager again addressed me.  I said, "I understand, but I'm not going to tip three people".  By then Val was back with Jim who redirected them and led me to where his cab was.  

It's a little overwhelming and intimidating to get hit with this when you first step out of the airport if you're not prepared.  I guess a US woman with a load of luggage and a confused look on her face looks like a good financial opportunity.  It doesn't matter how we dress or act, our language, hairstyles, clothing, shoes and other accessories clue people in to our foreign origins, as do clues from our body language.  In addition, for a country where the life style is laid back, being on Costa Rica Time as they say, this moment of urgency and rushing from the locals comes as a bit of a surprise.  We laughed about it later and decided to try to be better prepared next time.

Why Monteverde?

Check out this link: Miracle on the Mountain to learn more about the girls' school.  This is the reason we chose Monteverde as our location in C.R.

We left St Louis on July 1, and drove to visit Marnee.  We packed books into the car and sent our clothes by US post.  The three large boxes were supposed to arrive in SC Friday, but of course that was a holiday.  Saturday, no box.  The kids and I have two days worth of clothes and swim suits.  We will go shopping if they aren't here by monday.  

We packed our books because we heard it is difficult to get current books in CR.  The less-new books seem to disintegrate during the rainy season (May-December).  You couldn't turn the pages on one book I looked at from a friend's library in CR- the pages were all stuck together. Little black dots of mold were growing on the page edges.  I guess everything tries to recycle ASAP in CR's tropical climate. 

So tonight we divide up the books to decide which will travel with us on the first flight out of the US.  We certainly can't take them all.  We'll return to the states every couple of months to check on Marnee, who just turned 86.  We're hoping she'll come to see us and spend a couple of months.  Not likely during the rainy season.  The car will be parked in the garage in SC.  Don't get any ideas, Marnee.  Your license has long ago expired.

We depart from SAV to head to CR on July 9.  I'll work on getting photos.