Atenas, dropping off artwork, visiting artist studio

On Monday, Elisa met us at the house to lead us to the gallery where we would drop off and display our work. I rode with her and she pointed out sights along the way. At the gallery, we met Juan Diego Roldan, the director. He was really pleased with the quality and variety of our work. The gallery space is modest, but located in the lobby of a building where many language and cultural classes are held. I was pleased to hear that the exhibit would be used as a teaching tool in English classes, and that seemed a fitting way to extend our gallery's mission of outreach and education far beyond its walls. 

Judith entering the Cultural Center before the opening reception

That day we also met two of the artists who will be coming to Omaha in June. Lorena admired our work as we unpacked it all. Martha met us later and came back to the house, where she and Elisa prepared a lovely dinner for us all. 

After we had all our work unwrapped, we went to lunch at a nearby restaurant known for its ceviche. It was the best I'd ever had. The local fish, corvina, is a firm, white-fleshed fish, a type of bass, according to my Lonely Planet phrasebook and dictionary. With limes, red onions, avacado and cilantro, the ceviche was a refreshing light meal in itself. We added a shared plate of garlicky sautéed shrimp and rice to make sure we were all quite full. 

We then went to the studio of well-known artist Isidro con Wong, where we saw his paintings and  fabulous sculptures. The son of a farmer and cattleman, con Wong uses imagery of the Brahma bull often in his work. 

Isidro con Wong chats with Martha Espinoza about a work in progress. 

In Isidro con Wong's warehouse studio 

In Isidro con Wong's warehouse studio 

In Isidro con Wong's warehouse studio 

After a rather harrowing drive in the dark back to Atenas where motorcycles dart between trucks and people stand in between lanes where traffic is slowed trying to sell snacks. Elisa and Martha roasted chickens, made pico de gallo and guacamole, black beans served with warm corn tortillas. Sitting around the table sharing stories, good food and wine was a delightful way to close out this busy day. 

San Jose morning and off to Atenas

I can never resist an interesting tree.

On my last morning in San Jose after another wonderful breakfast, I made up for lost time, took a long walk with my charged up phone so I could take snapshots in the areas I'd explored the previous day. Then I packed up my things and got a taxi to the airport. This ride was much calmer than the one on my first day, thankfully. I arrived in plenty of time before colleagues from the Artists' Cooperative Gallery landed, so I grabbed lunch at a sidewalk cafe near the arrivals area. 

We met our driver, loaded our bags into vehicles and made our way out of the city and to Atenas, where we stopped for groceries before driving up the mountain to our home for the week. The 2-bedroom house had lovely views over the valley and two small guest houses right next to the main house. 

We spent lots of time on this patio, sitting in rocking chairs and watching the light change over the valley. 

View into the Central Valley from poolside. 

A trail behind the house led further up the mountain and offered this view. 

Looking down at the house where we stayed and into the valley. 

Alone in a different way

"...When you travel, you find yourself
alone in a different way,
more attentive now
to the self you bring along,
Your more subtle eye watching
you abroad; and how what meets you
touches that part of the heart
that lies low at home..." -- from 'For the Traveler' by John O'Donohue

In Costa Rica, the only camera and Internet-capable communication tool I had with me was my phone, and I had left my charger cord lying on the dining room table back home. After having a hearty breakfast with lots of fresh fruit and wonderful coffee chatting with a couple from France, I talked to the hotel clerk about getting a new cord. He pointed me to a nearby shopping area, where I walked with my phone, ability to say "Yo quiero"  ("I want/would like") and willingness to make gestures, draw pictures, or make a fool of myself. I found the small technology store where one of the employees spoke English and seemed to have the right cord. I bought it (about $15) and went back to the hotel. I thought I'd plug in, charge up and then set out to take photos, explore museums and the like. 

But sadly, the charger wasn't compatible. With my battery slowly waning, I shot a quick message to Judy, who would be arriving the next day, asking her to bring one along. Then I set out, thinking I might find another shop with the right cord as I explored the central city. 
 

Enjoying this tropical floral display, I sat here for breakfast and chatted with a couple from France

I walked through plazas and markets, making my way toward the Museo de Jade (Jade Museum) to see artifacts and learn about the histories and cultures of the country. It is a very good museum, with five floors filled with pre-Columbian pottery and jade artifacts, as well as displays depicting aspects of ancient life. Birds, monkeys and lizards serve as common symbols. 

I wandered through the artisan market and made my way through more plazas to the downtown commercial district, where I found a phone accessory store and while no one here spoke English, we could understand one another when I pulled out my phone and pointed to the port for the charger cord. The clerk pulled out a cord, plugged it in, and it lit up screen! Great! Another $10 later and I thought i was set. I kept walking around, enjoying the architecture, the sun on my skin, the rhythms and tones of the city. 

One of the many pedestrian plazas, where there was a mixing of old and newer architecture.

A small man speaking perfect English approached me as I walked. His story changed -- he didn't understand the street numbering system, he couldn't find the Salvation Army, he was trying to get back to California. I gave him enough money to get lunch. I probably wouldn't have done it at home, and he likely was lying, but he was polite and I could afford to spare a few dollars. 

It was quite warm that day, and there was a frozen yogurt shop near my hotel. I got a cup of mango frozen yogurt topped with mango and pineapple chunks, strawberry slices and coconut flakes. It was delicious and refreshing. Then back to the hotel in hopes I could charge my phone. Sadly, it was another incompatible device. It was only about 4 p.m., so I thought I'd head back up to the shopping center and try one of the other stores. As I looked over various cords and appliances and didn't see what I needed, without sharing a spoken language in common, the clerk asked whether I'd tried the tiny phone counter inside the adjacent grocery store. I hadn't, so he walked me right to it.

There was a young man who spoke perfect English, found exactly the right cord and insisted we plug it in and wait to see it charging my phone before I paid for it. I bought a bottle of wine and came back to the counter and gladly paid another $12 to have a cord that worked. 

Back at the hotel, I plugged in, sent quick messages to family, enjoyed a glass of wine and mapped out my dinner plans. 

I went to Cafe Mundo based in large part on the description in the Lonely Planet travel guide. It's a lovely place that one doesn't even notice during the day, because it is surrounded by a high wall. Once the gate is open you see lovely gardens and a large house with a wraparound porch. It has an extensive menu and the service was pretty good. My food however, was mediocre. I ordered patacones, fried plaintain patties served with black beans and guacamole, and stuffed mushrooms. The ambience was lovely, and I'd go back to sit with a drink, but not for the food. I regretted not trying to get into a tiny French restaurant in the same neighborhood, but chalked it up to experience. I walked another block to El Jardin for a drink, where I got to hear a couple of young English girls talk about their touring, including their surprise that Costa Rican men didn't leer as much as they expected, before calling it a night and heading back to my hotel. 

Working on paper

The upside of working on paper is that it allows me to be a little looser, more experimental, without feeling a great investment in materials, at least until I decide to have a piece framed. This 17x17" painting in progress is on a 22x30" piece of oil paper and will likely change a lot in the next few days. I'll share more photos and travelogue about Costa Rica over the next few days. Cheers! 

First layers of color and texture in 17x17" painting on paper.  

traveling solo in San Jose, Costa Rica

Passport in hand, colones in my wallet and traveling with one wheeled suitcase and wearing the only pair of shoes traveling with me, I breezed through immigration and customs to see a throng of people holding signs, shouting names and "taxi!" I wove through the crowd toward one of the bright red taxis and used my rehearsed pronunciation of my hotel in the Aranjuez neighborhood of San Jose. I was quoted the expected $30 fare and off we went. 

If you've heard stories about the driving in San Jose, believe them. Motorcycles dart between large vehicles; tour buses, shuttles, cars and trucks all go as fast as possible, shifting into lanes that might offer a slight advantage through the traffic. In my tourist mode, I watched the city pass by through the side window, not really paying attention to other vehicles until I was flopping around in the back seat when the driver swerved mightily to avoid getting hit by a truck. The driver and I were both OK, but I banged my upper arm on something that caused a 3-inch bruise that I wore throughout the trip. Yes, I buckled my seat belt before we resumed. 

The Hotel Aranjuez is a collection of five houses built around 1930 joined by gardens and seating areas.

The seating area just outside Hotel Aranjuez Room #5, where I stayed two nights. 

The Aranjuez neighborhood is near the center of San Jose, where I strolled through plazas, looked at architecture and enjoyed learning about the country's history, art and culture at the Museum of Jade. 

That first afternoon, I walked around the neighborhood, found a delightfully colored restaurant, Cafe de los Deseos, and had delicious tacos and a mula con tequila. My limited Spanish allows me to order from the menu but then I don't usually understand follow-up questions such as "something to drink?" although my understanding improved a bit and I learned the verb "tomar" in addition to "beber" meaning "to drink". Many people, especially in hospitality/tourism industries, speak English, and even those who don't seemed patient with my toddler vocabulary and clunky syntax.

My intention for a nap after this tasty meal turned into sleeping through the night and ready to meet the next day. 

Cafe de los Deseos, San Jose, Costa Rica

first meal in Costa Rica, and a very delicious one!