Jaco Trees

As you can imagine, there are a large number of flowers and trees in Costa Rica.  There are so many that I could never include them all in this blog.  However, there are a few right in our neighborhood.

 



For example, the palm tree is a beautiful tree.  

There are many different kinds of Palm trees but this  very colorful variety is one of my favorites and is right outside our door.

 

There are also many varieties of evergreen trees.  Some are very tall.

 

And some are very soft.

 

 

There is a tree just down the street that has very large "fruit". 

 

 This is called a Jicaro tree and as it turns out what really looks like a fruit is just a swelling of the tree's woody parts.  These jícaras have a very hard shell and, inside, a dark purplish pulp, very spongy, where the seeds are embedded. 

 

The seeds have been used to prepare a beverage called horchata and some home remedies. Since time immemorial, those who live in the lands of the jícaro or morro, as the tree is known in other Central American countries have used the shell of the jícara to make bowls and scoops for household use. Simple or intricately etched glasses are made out of the oval jícaras, from which people drink horchata or the corn based pinolillo.

 

If you are interested in more information on the Jicara tree, you can follow this link--http://www.envio.org.ni/articulo/1762

it really is pretty fascinating.

 

There are almond trees everywhere.

 

That's why the Macaws are here--they love almonds.

And, we have a lime tree right beside our balcony.

Beside the courts where we play tennis are some very large bamboo trees.

 

I don't know their name but there are also some trees that have very few leaves and lots of pink flowers. 

 

The Macaws like to hide in here.

 

 

There is a Cashew tree just down the street.  It is not bearing fruit right now but the last time we were here in the month of February--it had a lot of cashews on it.

 



The nuts on the cashew tree grow from something that looks like an apple. 

 

The nut hangs down from the "apple"--one cashew per apple.   It is the only nut that grows outside it's shell.

 

This only  touches the surface of the multitude of varieties of trees that are around us.  But, I hope this shows that this is an ecological wonderland.  I can see why many students come here to study the environment and all of the plants and wildlife that Costa Rica has to offer.

 

 

 



 

 

Cooking Class

The other day, June, one of the ladies in our complex who is from Wisconsin and happens to be a Colonel in the US Air Force, suggested having a cooking class for the ladies. 


This is June. 

June got Elsie, who speaks very good English and is the head of housekeeping, to volunteer to be the instructor. 

This is Elsie.

Elsie decided to show the ladies how to cook ARROZ con POLLO which means chicken with rice.  The ingredients included:
-2 whole chickens
-2 kilos (4 pounds) of rice
-1 kilo of carrots
-1 kilo of green beans
-3 sweet peppers
-3 cilantro (bunches chopped)
-2 clumps of cloves
-5 small packages of chicken seasoning
-1 big bottle of Lizano salsa
-1 stick of butter
-1 small achiote (paprika)
-2 big cans of sweet corn
-3 stalks of chopped celery
-3 onions
Elsie started cooking the chicken (Pollo) at around three o'clock.  All of the ladies helped.


This is the ladies helping.

While the chicken was cooking, all of the vegetables had to be chopped.

As you can see, chopping the veggies took a lot of work.  Oh yes, Elsie is off to the right of the picture chopping vegetables.

Once the chickens were ready, the rice was cooked in the chicken broth.  The vegetables that had been chopped were cooked in oil and then the rice was added and cooked like a stir fry.   This took a lot of planning.

The Planning Committee

The meat from the two chickens had to pulled off the bones and shredded.  It was then added to the mixture and cooked a little more.  By about seven o'clock the meal was complete.  By that time everyone was pooped but still managed a smile for a congratulatory picture.

With everyone's hard work they managed to prepare a meal that would feed about thirty people.  Everyone enjoyed the success.

And everyone ate well that night.

I know I appreciated all the hard work and the results were delicious.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

Surfing at Hermosa Beach

Hermosa Beach is just around the point at the south end of Jaco beach.   You can not really get there walking because there are too many rocks on the point.  You have to get there by road.

Every Saturday afternoon there is a surfing contest there.  The surfing is excellent  because the waves are larger since nothing is stopping them rolling in from the Pacific Ocean.

 

The best place to watch the surfing is the Backyard bar and restaurant.

 A group of us took a taxi for the ten minute ride and split the cost (three couples splitting an $8 ride is pretty exciting in itself).  We found a good shady spot where we could see the surfers.

 

The sand on this beach is a beautiful dark brown.  This sand gets hotter because of the dark color.  In several places along the beach they will lay palm branches to walk on to get to the water. 

The contest starts about four o'clock and goes until sunset.  They prize money is pretty substantial so it brings out the really good surfers.  Here are a few action pictures that I took with my telephoto lens and then cropped them on the computer:

 

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the contest and the company.  There were lots of snacks and libations and stories and pictures.   The contest ended at sunset which was glorious.

 

 

We listened to the music for a while---

 

and then crowed into another taxi and came home. 

 

It was a good time!

 

Our Pool

Our complex has a beautiful outdoor area with a large pool.  It has a "kiddie" area at one end, a whirlpool at the other, a slide, and even a little bridge and stone walk way to get from side to the other.  I showed this picture once before but here it is again so you can see what I am talking about.

 

There is also an area for grilling, playing ping pong and board games, or relaxing in a hammock.

 

 

 

We thought we would be cute and take some pictures of us on and by the slide.

Here is Gail by the waterfall next to the slide.





I even got into the act.

 

We also tried a picture with the two of us by the slide.

 

 

We took Carol and Gus' picture here too.  We had to first get rid of the frog.

But then it worked.

 

 

The pool is the social gathering place.  It is where you meet new people and make new friends.  Here are three of the hot young ladies who hang out there.

Three Monkies.

This is Kalisa from North Carolina (for some reason she likes to talk about Cam Newton), Gail from Arkansas, and Carol from Canada.   There is such a variety of people here.  Just yesterday we met a wonderful lady from a small town north of London, England.

 

We spend much of the day reading and listening to music by the pool.  Sometimes Happy Hour starts a little early here too.

 

Every pool has to have rules.  Here are our rules.

 

I do not read Spanish very well so I have to sometimes guess at what is being said. 

For example, I think these rules say something like:

 

-Hurray, the pool is open form 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.

--If you are using the pool, you must leave your banjo in your condo.

-Even if you climb to the top of the rocks, there is no escape.

-If you are under 12 years old, you must leave your banjo, with your parents.

(I am not sure why the obsession with banjos.)

-Please, no listening to that commoner Justin Beber while in the pool.

(Obviously, these rules are a little outdated.)

-You are not allowed to throw Frisbees off your balcony into the pool.

-You are not allowed to receive a vibrating massage or anything similar in the area around the pool.

-You are not allowed to fart in the pool.

 

I think this is a pretty close interpretation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday's

Every morning starts with Bible study on the IPad.  Then we use the laptop to check email and Facebook.  I also look at the new real estate listings on  MLS.  After that we usually go for a walk on the beach.
However, on Friday mornings is the Farmer's Market.   We ride our bicycles over to the area where the market is located--only about three blocks from here.  Yesterday Gail wanted to buy fresh vegetables to make her wonderful salsa.

We bought everything she needed except for Jalapeno peppers.  They had lots of peppers but not the Jalapenos.  We ended up getting them at the grocery store.

Everything is so very fresh.  (Note the guy cutting melons with the saw.)

A couple things not pictured that are also here are jewelry, bagels, ice cream, fresh squeezed fruit juices, organic foods, fresh chicken and chorizo sausage, clothes, and the Amish have homemade bread and baked items.

There is an area in Costa Rica, up in the mountains a ways, that has fields and fields of strawberries.  So, of course, they have them here also.

 

They even had quanabana.

It is a very good market and we will be looking forward to it each Friday.  We also now have some very good fresh salsa.

 

 

 

 

 

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