Panama City, Panama

                                

                                            Holidays In Costa Rica 

 

 

This will be my sixth holiday season here in the small Latin country of Costa Rica and there is such a contrast so I thought I would expound on the stark differences between my hometown of Roanoke, VA and this place many see as paradise.



There is no Thanksgiving celebration here. Why should there be. They did not have a feast with the indians to thank them and God for their appreciation of the knowledge that had been passed on to them. At the time they were indians going through their own trials and tribulations.

Christmas? Many had yet to learn of this thing called Christianity. Gods were plentiful and they already knew about sacrifices and such. Afterall, there are many volcanoes here. I am not suggesting that many virgins met their fate in the hot firey bellys of some, but then again, who knows.

Our last Christmas in Roanoke in 2009 was a real snow affair. The wife who is from Costa Rica always went into a joyful dance when it snowed. But as I told her each time, "You're elated but you aren't the one that has to shovel the walk and dig out two cars"!! She would then show empathy through her snow colored glasses and proceed to watch me through the deck sliding glass doors as I toiled and cursed outside in her winter wonderland.   

Fast-forward to our home here. At Christmas time we are coming out of the rainy season and the hardest thing I am faced with is what pair of shorts shall I wear today. Don't laugh. You haven't seen my boney stumps! Thank God they now have those that come down below the knees.

Another satisfying thing is that the open vegetable markets go year round here. The selection is enormous and the quanity abundant. But you need to be  cautious. Have them cut open a sample if they haven't already just to keep 'em honest. I have found that just because it looks good outside does not necessarily represent what is inside.

The seasons favorite food is tamales. A mixture of cornmeal with a sprinkling of vegetables and a small piece of meat or two. All wrapped in a plantain leaf. They go great with a cup of hot costa rica coffee that has been pumped up with a little Don Braulio to taste.(coffee liqueur) Don't eat the leaves.   

                                                  More later...................