The Perfect Marriage

While surfing the daily news from CR, 

I came across a picture of my favorite mid-day meal of the tropics, 

THE CASADO.  

The picture made my mouth water and my heart ache to be there.  No matter what I do with my own recipes, eating casado is just not the same in New Jersey. I can start with organic ingredients, but simply cannot reproduce the locally-sourced part.

Most of the time, an insane amount of food is on that plate, and yet somehow, 

one can manage to LOSE WEIGHT eating this way.  

After all, there's not one bit of junk food present, and enough nutrition to recover from a day of hiking, riding, kayaking, surfing or swimming.  

For a ten minute education for gringos on Costa Rican food tradition, click:

http://news.co.cr/retirees-should-be-aware-of-costa-ricas-rich-food-tradition/14561/

Enjoy a healthy week, wherever you are!

The Art of The Boruca

 The remarkable and seemingly endless creativity displayed by the Boruca artists is inspiring as well as insightful regarding the their native cosmology and tribal history. 

Their masks attest to the rich biodiversity of the Southern Pacific zone of Costa Rica. They  bear witness to the deep-rooted and ancient culture of this tribal group whose ancestors were the famed pre-Hispanic gold workers and creators of the mysterious, and still unexplained stone spheres (Diquís/Gran Chiriquí culture 700 AD – European contact).

The different mask styles are:

•     traditional diablo masks (balsa wood or tropical cedar)
•     hybrid ‘ecological-diablo’ masks (balsa wood or tropical cedar)
•     highly elaborate and detailed ‘ecological/cultural masks’ (balsa wood or tropical cedar) 

Festival de Mascaras*

The Brunka (also known as the Boruca) tribe of the Southern Pacific region of Costa Rica are the protagonists of a unique,  centuries-old indigenous mask-making tradition centered around their annual celebration called the Danza or Juego de los Diablitos.   This tribal ceremony is of social-historic importance to the Brunka and has been faithfully celebrated for centuries – always at the end of the old year and the beginning of the new.  In this three day annual festival, held December 31 - January 2, the male participants of the tribe perform a ritual dance re-enacting the Spanish conquest.   The most important part of the costumes are the masks. With the mask, each member is empowered to fght and dispel the evil of the Spanish intruders who are represented by a mock bull. The festival masks use demon features which the
indigenous people adopted symbolically from the Spanish Catholics.

  

In these re-enactments, the Boruca triumphant over the Spanish. This victory
celebrates the identity and existence of the Boruca people against past enemies,
as well as current threats to their community and way of life. Especially, as
the modern world encroaches, indigenous people have struggled to find a
balance that retains their spirituality and harmony with nature. Their past and
their art demonstrate acknowledgment that they are part of the natural world.
Remembering who they are and where they come from serves to reinforce their
identity.
Coming from a society insulated from nature by industrial technology, we can learn a great deal by better understanding these cultures. Perhaps this knowledge can help us recognize our connections to the natural world.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

See more masks from the shop of Santos Lazaro 

* Special thanks to Galeria Namu and Galeria Coco Loco information sources

Dear Dominical

Dominical has got to be one of my favorite places in the Southern Zone of Costa Rica

Set along a stretch of coastline with a seemingly endless ribbon of nearly private beaches, Dominical boasts world class surfing without the tourist volume of other sites farther north along the Pacific. The coastal highway is now fully paved, making the drive from the San Jose area a breezy couple of hours instead of an all-day event. The dirt-road-main-street town is laid back and peppered with small colorful establishments ranging from fruit sellers to eateries to surf camps.

Dominical is a perfect jumping off spot for dive and snorkel tours and is only a few kilometers north of Whale's Tail National Park. It is also centrally located to Manuel Antonio National Park, Corcovado National Park, Cano Island National Preserve and Nauyaca Waterfalls are a reasonable drive up the San Isidro road. Though we did not make that locale in December, it is a 'must do' next time for certain. Fishing charters, zip lines, horseback riding, surfing, swimming, lounging, drinking....
I think it's twenty degrees outside in South Jersey right now.

The burgers at The Refuge are enormous and delicious - served within site of the beach. Dave and I shared a giant, perfectly done burger with fresh guacamole, washed down with ice cold Imperial beer. Puts a smile in your afternoon, my friends!   Sunset cocktails at La Parcela should be on your agenda when in town. Their sweet spot on a small peninsula can't be beat for the scenery. Be sure to try the Maracuya and rum - two of them, and I can roll my Rs with the best of them! There is also a walking trail worth taking that goes down to the water.

During our visit in December, we stayed at TikiVillas, a few minutes south of Playa Dominical. A quiet 4x4 hillside location with a fine 'white water' view of the sea, we were greeted on arrival by a chilled bottle of champagne, enjoyed on the lanai where each day, we were greeted by foraging Toucans. Villa Five was air-conditioned, though we found the place airy enough without and came equipped with a king bed and large indoor-outdoor shower. Tons of Tranquila... Our villa had a kitchenette with dorm-fridge and hot plate, though we 'cooked' only coffee.. Breakfast is cooked to order every morning, and guests can enjoy their eggs or pancakes overlooking the infinity pool and the Pacific south to the Osa Peninsula. In the afternoon, trade your orange juice and coffee for cocktails at the Tiki bar and catch up with family and friends via the free wifi at the lounge. Tiki staff were friendly and offered conversation and assistance with scheduling tours. TikiVillas is recommended and 4x4 is required (keeping in mind that all 4x4s are not created equal)


Please refer to these Dominical Links when planning your next Southern Cost Rica vacation:
http://www.dominicalcr.com/ 
http://www.dominical.biz/