While justifiably scary to most parents, the numbers themselves are small  Still, it bears spending some time learning about this parasite.

Basically, the whole process starts with rats. Rats become infected and pass larvae in their feces. Slugs and snails come in contact with the feces and they then become infected. The disease is passed to humans while eating undercooked snails or possibly on vegetables that either have small snails on them or perhaps have not been thoroughly washed. I say perhaps, because the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states “There is some question whether or not larvae can exit the infected mollusks in slime”.  Some here think that just contact with the slime of a slug can infect a person, maybe by just crawling around on a lettuce leaf, but clearly there is no proof of this. More likely would be ingesting a tiny snail in your salad.  Either way, wash those veggies!

I know little about escargot, but I know a ton of folks who dote on it. I tried it once and liked it, but then if you put enough garlic on a shoe, I’d probably like it equally. I also think special snails are used in preparing escargot.  Probably went to prep school or something… but just the same, I think thorough cooking is called for.

Kids, however, can find slugs and snails to be fascinating. They pick them up and think they might make fine pets.  A few weeks ago, however, a little boy (15 months) died after eating a slug. He passed after spending  two week in Childrens Hospital.. The larvae do just terrible things to a child’s intestines.

Interestingly, all of the kids involved lived either in San Jose or Alajuela. I say interestingly as, in general, Cost Rica’s normally nasty critters and bugs live on the coasts or the rain forests where the tropical heat provides a better environment.

This all starts with the rats, of course, so in addition to the cautions above, make sure there is no thriving rat population near you.

However, I did not want to discard it, and I decided it might be of general interest to a lot of readers, especially to older folks considering a trip to Costa Rica and more especially to older women who might like to travel together! Here is the account or the trip taken by Della and her female companion and written by Della.

My friend Joanna was treated to a Costa Rica ‘resorts only’ trip by her son and daughter in law last December. She came back psyched about living there and wanted to explore more of Costa Rica. So, I signed up on the ‘Real Costa Rica blog’ and started following comments -

We left San Diego, Ca. March 27th, having taken Frontier Airlines (cheapest, and least time spent) to San Jose. We had reserved a 4wh. dr. SUV, and headed out to explore the Nicoya Peninsula. We had a map from the rental office, and headed out, the hair on our back rising as we maneuvered getting out of San Jose. Once accomplished, and taking the ferry from Punterenas, we were much calmer and happier starting on our adventure.

We did follow the ‘rules for tourists’ as you mentioned, always taking our bags in at night, always having our auto within our sight. We did not wander at night -

Ticos seemed curious, interested and surprised to see two Sr. Citizens out and about, through back roads and inland, through small communities and farmland, and everyone we met was friendly, kind, helpful, and informative. Most did not speak English, we do not speak Spanish, but we learned the important words and used sign language to get around. We had such a wonderful time. We wanted to be in the culture, among the people, and we did just that. Pharmacias, cabinos, bancos, agua, banas, fruitas, we got by. Oh yes, we learned to say ‘mucho gusto’.

We stayed in family run cabins, and felt very safe.

I did most of the driving, and the mountains were the adrenalin pumpers for me – blind curves, large trucks, with only room for one vehicle at a time – sideless bridges, ruts in the ‘roads’ more like mud or gravel trails, that was more scary than anything else, but, we managed well.

Being able to stop when we saw a little ‘art shed’ and seeing the lovely art work, and being invited to meet the family – see the baby parrots, and Tucan, in the back yard, meeting the family’s children, both of us willing to try to communicate, giggling at our attempts – even in the off the beaten path, money was no problem as nearly everyone counted in dollars.

We usually were given a ‘typical breakfast’ included with our cabin, in the a.m. I like eggs over easy, and this is not very common I guess so I asked if I could make them myself, so they let me make them, in their kitchen.
Fun…

We found a glorious little teak cabin that one family had put up, cut into the mountain, overlooking the vastness below, and the ocean way in the distance. Breathtaking.
Since it was the end of the dry season, water was sometimes low, and these people were so sorry the town had cut the water, that they gave us not only a wonderful breakfast, typical style, but made fresh corn tortillas and lots of rice and beans, and cut mangos to take with us for lunch. They showed us their cage full of quail and eggs they considered a real delicacy.

It was odd to me that near the ocean, it was so hot – due to the proximity to the equator. Hadn’t thought of that….

Montezuma we liked a lot, we stayed in a very nice hotel, and the restaurants were superb…. Cobano was like going back in time 60 or 70 years. our last two days we stayed in San Jose, with our auto parked in the hotel ‘basement’ at night. We found the hotel as it was getting dark, and were glad of it, because a few blocks away as we were looking for a bed and breakfast sign we had seen, we found ourselves in a huge very ‘ghetto’ neighborhood, then a few blocks further, a neighborhood with lovely homes, completely ironed in, driveway and all, and men with billy clubs and dogs guarding the streets.’

The hotel staff was friendly, informative and fun to converse with as well. A huge park several blocks away had an art festival every Sunday and we found some great treasures.

My friend is still interested in living there, but I have a bad back, and cannot imagine driving the roads there, where about l% of the country, it seems, is paved.

I am thankful we had the ‘Real Costa Rica blog’ as our guide -

If she does move, she has no rose colored glasses on now, and will more than likely rent, and not buy. Very good help on that.

I will come again to visit!!! – and learn more Spanish as well. We arrived back home on April l3th. It was the best l7 day adventure we have ever had. People are people, everywhere, and looking for the similarities, and being willing to explore the differences, using common sense, looking forward to each day’s difference as we headed out in the am was really very special.

So this is a great thank you for the time and effort put into keeping the blog going, and people contributing as well.

Thanks for the nice words and thanks for sharing your vacation with us. I enjoyed reading your account, and I hope my readers will also.

(Next time you come, do read The REAL Costa Rica main web site. Then you will know just how hot are the beaches in Costa Rica.)

I had an issue a few months ago, and was forced to remove and reinstall the web site. Today I was able to get it back online with all the original Posts and reviews. There is also a nice section for trading recipes!

All my readers are invited to join and give your opinion, good or bad, on any restaurant, soda or other eatery here in Costa Rica. The Web Site is Costa Rica Eateries and I hope you will call visit and add your favorite places to eat in Costa Rica. Enjoy!

Recently, my daughter Karen, 40 something mom of three, well actually two but we often count her husband as one of the kids, came a visitin’ from Chicago, and we all made the four hour trek to Monteverde, Costa Rica. With us was son Bill, his wifey and my granddaughter, Lucy all of whom live here.

I had the cool idea of renting a van and driver for the trip. Normally I drive, but there is a 10-15 miles stretch of nasty road and I figured I’d save wear and tear on the car and use taxis when we got there. Turned out to be a great idea. Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every so often!

If this interests you, read on!

I figured we could take a cooler of beer and some munchies and sit back and be tourists! THAT is the way to go!

The trip took about 4 hours from our home near San Antonio de Belen. We arrived at Hotel El Establo right in the center of the action. OK action may be too strong a word here as Monteverde, while it absolutely should be on any tourist’s itinerary, is a bit short of really cool things to do after the first full day. Really, it makes a great 2-3 day trip max as after the horseback riding, the canopy tour, the tarzan swing, and the (poison) frog museam, there is not a whole lot more to do. OK there IS more to do if you are one of the eco-trekkking-hiking freaks. If you are, then the list is endless! I get tired even thinking of excercise and often just rest until the thought leaves my mind.

El Establo is a very nice hotel and very inexpensive compared to many hotels of the same quality. We did the suite thing, my daughter sleeping in the loft above us and ML and I below. Great views and the construction quality was first rate. “Why so cheap?” Thinks me. Nothing is cheap here… at least not for tourists. I soon found out.

Seems El Establo has two restaurants! I forget the names, but they should have been called “Really, Really, Expensive” and “Say the hell WHAT??”. “Say the hell What??” was the deluxe gourmet restaurant and we avoided THAT completely after having our first meal in “Really, Really Expensive” .

“Really, Really Expensive” had seating for perhaps 945 people and the prices were just silly. First meal… light lunch for five adults and my granddaughter (age 3) ran to about $155.00 and I did not even get a KISS from the cute hostess!

Now I knew how they could price the rooms so cheap. Guess they have to make it somewhere. Still, a LOT of people did eat there so we let them subsidize our suite while WE ate the The Treehouse and other spots. Hotel food B- Treehouse food B. Various others not remembered… B.

As I mentioned, I am not fond or excersize, so when all the others decided to go do the canopy tour thing, zip lining, the tarzan swing and horseback riding, I elected to sit on the balcony, read, nap and unwind.

The picture at the top of this post is daughter Karen. She was on the Tarzan swing. As you can see, she is enjoying it a lot. Brother Bill is yelling “Use the break!!!!” Bill is an instigator and so enjoys tormenting his big sister. To the right is Bill zip lining above the cloud forest. Note there IS a break on the zip line thingy. Poor Karen.

The REAL deal around Monteverde (for you outdoor types) is the horseback riding! For a stupidly cheap price, like $30.00, they were guided on a 4-5 hour tour through the mountains by truly excellent guides. Not sissy horses either. My campasina wife, who does know how to ride, said there was much trotting, galloping and sun glasses losing. Her nice guide rode back about 5 km to find them too! (The $200.00 sunglasses I mean).

All in all… great trip. It is very restful and we may well make the jaunt again. El Establo, while not expensive, is still more than many other hotels, so do your homework when choosing your place to stay.

Want more info?  Check out http://www.monteverde.org, the only web site I could find not trying to sell you anything.

I pulled out my computer to read something I had downloaded and to my surprise! Internet connection. Who’d have thought in the middle of Central America, in a small mountain town I could read about the latest news on the latest book that’s come out about Diana. It’s freaky. A marriage made in heaven.

Thanks for stopping in to this blog.

This event went as usual except for the blessing of the birthday child, her mother, and their home. A woman took out her rosary, a prayer book, and older ladies gathered in a U around a small nativity set with a candle burning in the middle. In my earlier days I would have scoffed and rolled my eyes at the whole thing. Life sat me down and taught me a thing or two. I’ve mellowed. Now I love listening to the rosary. I can watch the mouths of the women race over the prayers in harmony. I can laugh because after many years, I can still whip out a quick Hail Mary with the best of them.

It is such a peaceful thing to pray. No matter the language or religion. It is a moment of thinking about unity, love, forgiveness, and others. Upon finishing, the ladies were served up treats by our newly blessed mom and her three-year old daughter. My daughter came up to me and asked for more candy. My son woke up from his nap, and little ladies who’d come to pray all left for home, holding a piece of birthday cake in their hand and a rosary in the other.

Then, I moved to Costa Rica. A plastic bag free-for-all. There’s no question these bags with handles are handy, and since it does rain in Costa Rica, paper bags aren’t always a good solution especially when one has to take the bus or walk home. But the other day when I came home, my AAA batteries (which are encased in plastic to begin with) were inside a plastic bag inside another plastic bag. After a shopping trip, I will easily accumulate about 15 bags. Recycycling? Remember what it was like in the 1980s to recycle? Lugging the bags to faraway bins. If you were lucky you lived by the Goodwill. That’s kind of what it is like here. I moved to a city that used to recycle, but the program stopped. Now I’m back to driving my bottles to a bin, or finding a fellow I can take them to who will gladly haul take them from me every few weeks.

There’s no place to recycle these bags other than the bathroom. For those who do not know, living in Costa Rica is much like living on a boat: you can’t flush the toilet paper down the bowl. Those plastic bags come in handy for the little garbage pail that sits in all bathrooms. But we just don’t use the bathroom enough to recyle about 30 bags a week I end up brining home. I feel like I’m drowning in the things.

But, I’m returning to my roots. While shopping for curtains, my daughter and I came across this great orange, zippy looking pull-cart. Kind of an up-to-date, stylish model of the metal cart with two wheels.

Hey! Let’s get it. It’s not in the budget, but think of the gas we’ll save by walking to the store!

We choose orange over all the other bright colors.

The next day, we walked to the grocery store. I put the grocery cart next up to the cashier and started unloading the items onto the belt. My daughter started in on her deep desire for M&Ms. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the grocery boy pulling out little white plastic bags.

NO! Stop!

I had even brought cloth bags to pack the vegetables in. I snipped at Coco to forget the candy and dashed for the vegetables. The young man looked at me as if I was looney. In a manner of ten seconds, he’d already packed up about eight plastic bags with an average of two items in each bag. My daughter still loomed long-faced by the chocolate and the cashier was ready for money. I felt like a defensive player on the basketball court: no matter how big I spread my butt, I couldn’t keep my court safe.

The grocery boy flung up his hands, rolled his eyes (crazy Gringa!) and went back to the his bench. I paid and began taking items out of the plastic. I left a pineapple and some plantains in bags so they wouldn’t leak in the cart. It’s not easy being green. But darned if we aren’t going to keep trying. We tipped the orange cart back and started walking for home.

*You can get fresh, organic food delivered right to your door in the Central Valley of Costa Rica from the fine people at NaturaStyle.

The first time I started to get that question was right after I posted my daughter-in-law’s recipe for Gallo Pinto. Her recipe is, in my not too humble opinion, the absolute hands-down best I have had anywhere in all the years I have lived here and the years before when I was a visitor. She got the recipe from her mom and who knows before that… but it is superb! Those of you who know me are aware perhaps that I am not exactly an amateur eater!

Gallo Pinto, the basin ingredients are rice and beans, is perhaps the most famous of all Costa Rica foods and is served mostly as a breakfast dish, but also for other meals or even as a snack.

However, it is the seasoning ingredients that make the dish!

The key ingredient in her Gallo Pinto, or for that matter a large number of Costa Rican typical food dishes is Salsa Lizano. This dark brown sauce has a pretty unique flavor, and not a few tourists have loaded up on it before returning home. The problem, of course, is that they run out! That’s when I get the emails.

So, I decided to add a small online store to The REAL Costa Rica web site that sells not only Salsa Lizano and Costa Rica coffee, etc, but a variety of other foods gifts, clothes (check out the baby clothes!) and even a Costa Rica flag.

To get to the store, just click here. Then just click on the Salsa Lizano category.

Of course there are also the usual books on Costa Rica, but I also threw in stuff like music and DVD’s as well as learning Spanish. Just for yucks, I also added references to Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama as I get a lot of email from people asking about those countries.

All stuff is shipped from the USA. Enjoy!

If I am running a little late or need just a second to gather keys, phone, money, bottle, diapers before we leave (for even the smallest of trips), I can safely put Addison in the car and he happily chats away while kicking his feet up and down and anticipating whatever journey we are going to take. If I am not taking Addison in the car, we have to sneak out the side door or he starts to cry when he sees the car pull away, which breaks everybody’s heart.

My daughter now loves the car, but once and awhile will throw up, just for old time’s sake. I’ve found one of the easiest ways to entertain the kids on a Saturday night is to load them up in the car, throw on the rain coats, and slurp down some Italian Ice at the cafe down the street (Costa Rica is growing up in gourmet!).

It just takes so little to please a kid, and me for that matter, most of all it is about feeling safe and knowing exploration is welcome; discovery is paramount; and raspberry ice a must.

On we go…. Part 2

So after a white-knuckle trip down the side of the mountain, we arrive safely at Savegre Mountain Hotel. I promptly attempt to register at the garage. A patient campasino informs me that guests normally register in the hotel lobby, and directs me to that location approximately 40 feet behind me. I try to come up with something clever to explain why I am trying to register in the garage, but I am suffering from some sort of stress thing, so I just get back in the car and drive the 40 feet. I have no idea why I did this, except it seemed important at the time to make a showing that I was not a total idiot.

Getting out of the car, the first thing that hits you as you step out of the car is the hummingbirds. It is not that the hummingbirds are rare here… they are not. But never are you going to see maybe 300 of them within 10 feet of you. Now I know why there are so few in my back yard. They are all here, and that 300 number pales when you learn there are 4-5 more locations where they are congregating around feeders in equal numbers. I took a bunch of crummy pictures, but if you want to see them, click here.

We check in without further delay and are directed to our cabin, a spacious thing with a ceiling about 50 feet above the floor. The reason for this becomes clear when I build a fire in the fireplace only to discover that Ticos may not fully grasp the concept of a vent or of drafting. Our cabin fills with smoke, so we decide to take walk.

There are numerous trails where you can see an enormous amount of wildlife. Wildlife here means birds as the other wildlife, like the monkeys, have all died years ago… most from falling out of trees laughing at gringos building fires in the cabins.

One of the trails (senderos) is about 25 KM long (about 16 miles). We give that one a pass. Anything that long requires a motor vehicle or a thinner person.

On the way, I am told that there exists a tree where the Quetzals come to chow down on avocados. I am also told I must arise early in the morning at first like in order to catch them on film. I decide this would be cool, so I make plans for the next morning if I have not passes on due to smoke inhalation.

The smoke has cleared from the cabin, so ML and I return to await arrival of friends Ray and wife Patricia. Ray is the one who discovered this place and I must admit… he hit gold. The Rio Savegre area and h0tel simply sucks the stress right out of you. Normally, it takes me 2-3 days to relax, but for some reason, this is happening in minutes.

R and P show up with a supply of munchies and various beverages all of which contain alcohol. As it is now raining, we spend time in front of the cabin allowing nature and the Seagrams to do their thing.

Dinnertime!

There is only one meal plan here… all meals included. This is, of course, because there are no restaurants withing 200 vertical miles. We head over to the restaurant coincidentally located 45 feet in front of the garage, and are treated to a large buffet containing the usual Tico fare of rice, beans, fish, chicken, funny meat, and tiramasu. While this restaurant will never win any awards for fine cuisine, it is certainly quite acceptable… acceptable enough that I make 2-3 return visits.

There is no nightlife here. You are expected to commune with nature then go to bed. We decide this is OK so we all head off to our cabins. A small surprise is that it is now cold! I mean REALLY cold… like 40 something. Blankets are not going to be enough so I decide to build another fire. We open all the windows and I do my thing.

So after deciding to sleep on the floor…

The Quetzal!

OK, morning arrives and I am off camera in hand to capture a photo of the evasive, reclusive and ever resplendent Quetzal.

I clump my way up a short trail to the Quetzal tree. Now I have no idea why I would think there was not already Quetzal IN that tree, but I do know I have no future whatever as a wildlife photographer. As I draw near, a brilliant flurry of blue, red, and green blasts out of the Quetzal tree and disappears into the forest.

Nuts!

Now I have no idea why I would think there was not already ANOTHER Quetzal in that tree, but now I am SURE have no future whatever as a wildlife photographer. As I draw closer, another brilliant flurry of blue, red, and green blasts out of the Quetzal tree and disappears into the forest.

(Bad word.. much worse than “Nuts!”)

Ok… perhaps the pros find a semi secluded place from which to watch the damned tree and try to remain silent? I do this, and after maybe 15 minutes that feels like 15 hours, a Quetzal flies back to the tree and promptly hides on the opposite side of the trunk. I am patient however, and after another five minutes, the little devil pops his furry head around the side of the trunk. Their heads look like a green fuzzball… about the size of a walnut. Odd since their body is much larger and their tails are about 2-3 feet long!

I snap about 342 photos hoping to get 1-2 that are decent. I am pretty sure the pros get their shot the first time. Above right and left are a couple that at least do not totally suck. Click any to enlarge.

Saving wildlife.

After breakfast, we hear our neighbors yelling. It seems a wild parakeet has flown into their (close) window and has died.

“Not so”, says my wifey.

As regular readers here and in my personal BLOG know, ML is a country gurl and loves all living things regardless of how many legs they have. She races to get to the dead bird.

“Aha! Not dead”, says she. “All we need to do is blow air up its butt!”. I am translating this rather loosely from the Spanish!

If this were any other person than my wife, I would advise treatment of some sort, but for now, I keep quiet and watch her as she blows air up its butt.
She does this far maybe 2-3 minutes (not actually touching here lips to that area I might add). The bird begins to move a bit and in another moment, spreads it wings and takes off!

I am fairly sure this technique is not taught at the leading veterinary schools in the USA, but to watch this is pretty amazing. It also beggars the question as to who was the first person to try this technique and how on earth that thought came into their mind in the first place.

Ok…. that’s it. Another fun weekend coming up soon. This place costs $200.00 per night including all meals… less if you elect to rent a cabin without the fireplace.