Comments We Have Received

We have received so many wonderful emails and comments on different photography forums related to our travel experiences being posted on the journal.

Different ones have stated that they are "living vicariously" through our website. It keeps us inspired when we hear such sentiments.Please feel free to keep us updated on your thoughts or what you are enjoying about our journal. If you have suggestions or questions - we are open to responding to them as well.

Thanks so much from us both

Dental Care in Costa Rica

You don't have to be in Costa Rica for very long and you will soon realize that no matter what town or city you are visiting, dental clinics are everywhere. Before coming here I had read that dental care in Costa Rica was very reasonable in price and of high quality. Now I know first hand some of the costs of having work done. We had noticed also the nice teeth almost everyone had. After some discussions with different business people we learned that the employer pays the insurance for their employees. This insurance covers not only medical but dental, glasses and prescriptions.

A lot of the dentists here have been trained in the U.S. and use modern methods, supplies and equipment. The main reason for the price difference is the cost of labour. Some clinics are very fancy, some more modest in their look. If you do some reaserch on the internet you will find a whole new type of tourists coming here to Costa Rica, that is "medical tourist". Most are coming for dental work and paying for their vacations with the savings.

Rob and I were recommended, by another guest at Norma's, to Dr. Bogantes in Atenas. She had been directed to him by another Canadian now residing in Atenas. We have both been to him now, very impressed with his work and gentle approach and plan to have further work done when we return next year.

Costs: White Filling: $30.00, Check up and Cleaning: $30.00 Bonding: $60.00, Root Canal and Crown: $195.00

These are costs at the dentist we went to. I have read prices for implants starting at $800.00 although haven't asked personally but plan to before we leave. If you are ever in this area and need a dentist I highly recommend Dr. Rodrigo Urena Bogantes, in Atenas. His phone number is: 2446-5344.

Having my teeth cleaned by Dr. Bogantes and his staff

I still don't like going to the dentist !!

Out for a Stroll

Driving some of the back roads a couple of days ago, we came across this farmer and his cows (or oxen, I'm not sure). We didn't know where they were going, if they had gotten loose and he was merely taking them back to the field or if they were all out for a leisurely stroll. Whatever the reason for them traveling along the road, it sure made for a great photo.

Typical Tico Foods

When you think "typical" food here in Costa Rica, casados will probably come to mind first, but there are others. We were invited to a Tico home to try some authentic food. To my surprise not a casado in sight! We were served tamales, fresh cheese and empanadas.

The tamales were a corn dough stuffed with beans and cooked inside of a banana leaf. They are usually made fresh and served for special occasions and can be filled with various fillings. Spiced meats like beef, pork and chicken are quite often used.

The fresh cheese was soft both in texture and taste. Marinated vegetables were also served on the side. Empanadas are basically a stuffed pastry and can be used both as a dessert (as ours was) or as a main course. When used as a dessert fruit fillings are used. These were filled with Chiverre fruit. This fruit is a large green and white striped fruit which resembles a squash and is a member of the pumpkin family. It had a slight fig or date taste to it and a coconut-like texture.

Tamales and Empanadas

Costa Rican Tamale Recipe

2 lbs instant corn masa mix

3 lbs (1.4 kg) pork shoulder roast -or- beef roast -or-

boneless chicken

1/4 lb (110 gr) pork lard (or vegetable shortening)

1 cup (240 ml) corn oil

1 batch (~5 cups cooked Tico style rice, see ingredient list and recipe below)

2 1/4 lbs (1 kg) potatoes

8 cloves of garlic

1/2 lb (225 gr) sweet or hot peppers to taste

1 large onion (optional)

2 1/4 lbs (1 kg) banana leaves (corn husks can be substituted, or if desperate aluminum foil)

coriander leaves (cilantro), salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, achiote (annato)

If you are adventurous and demand complete authenticity, you must start from raw corn ground for tamales (3 lbs, 1.4 kg Maiz cascado, malidocrudo). Soak the flour in water then rinse it well, cook with a tablespoon of achiote, and a little of the garlic and peppers in salted water to just cover until tender then stand overnight. The next day, knead it into dough. You should probably have a demonstration first if you're going to try this method. For first timers we'd suggest the Masaversion described below.

Chop the meat into large (2", 5 cm) chunks then brown on high heat in the 1/2 cup lard or vegetable oil. Add the chopped garlic, peppers, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt for the last minute or twoof browning, then cover with water and simmer until very tender (2-3 hours). Remove the meat from the broth and reserve the broth. When the meat is cool, shred it finely. While the meat is simmering prepare the potatoes and rice.

Peel the potatoes and boil with salt, cilantro, and oregano to taste until soft. Cool and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes.

Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird

Rob and I have been spending this weekend at a B&B north of Grecia, up in the mountains towards Poas at an elevation of 5000'. Very quiet, beautiful views day and night and quite relaxing. From one vantage point, using binoculars, I watched a plane land at Juan Santamaria Airport. Very cool!! In the evening the view of the city lights, with their twinkling teal and golds, is a sight like I've never seen before. I could watch it for hours. Evenings here in the mountains get quite cool and our host has a warm inviting fire going to conquer any chills we may get.

In the early morning and early evening hours the hummingbirds rule the feeders. I never realized how noisy they are!! These little guys, about 10cm or 4" in length, are very aggressive and we watched them feed and chase each other while having our morning beverage. They are widespread in Costa Rica and are the only ones to combine a rufous rump and tail with a green breast. Very entertaining.