Many of you have asked where in the world I've been.

All I know is that after 7 plus years of blogging and a different lappy, which I don’t like, I seem to have lost my blogging fervor.

Someday, when you least expect it, I will post again.

For those of you still waiting I say thank you.

Meanwhile, I am rather prolific on twitter. Find me: @KeethaB
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The Eclectic Company - Waitin' on a New Adventure!!
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Monday, April 26, 2010

Costa Rican Eclectic Bits

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More of what this blog is KNOWN for - - - eclecticity. This time my eclectic gene was working overtime in CR.


Do we still have these in the US????? Well, they are no longer here in the midwest, anyway.

Fisherhubby and I USED to use this gas exclusively. It was our FIRST gas credit card.

Do you remember the TV commercials from the 60's???? Then SING with me:

"You can trust your car
To the man who wears the star,
The Big Red Texaco Star!!!"

And while we're on the subject - - - whatever HAPPENED to those men in red stars???? You know the ones I mean. The ones who came RUNNING out to pump your gas, check your oil & air, AND wash all your windows - - - all for twenty-five cents a gallon.

Where did THOSE men in red stars go???


These signs were EVERYWHERE.

I'm just SURE there has to be a "pun" in them SOMEWHERE. Even me, my hugely Spanish-challenged self, knew the "es" was "is". So, what in the world is "jiron is jiron"?

I asked someone who had some Spanish skills - - - he said it wasn't a pun, that it was just a mattress company, and he didn't think "jiron" had any English translation.

Well, that did NOT satisfy an eclectic like moi, so I put it in a Spanish translator. Result? "Shred is shred."

OK - - - either this ISN'T a mattress company at all, or they stuff them with shredded things, or shred means sleep, or WHAT?!? Some of you unchallenged linguists HELP me with this one.


I took this picture so I would remember to tell y'all one VERY crucial geometric fact I learned in Costa Rica, and which I had to come back and CORRECT to my 6th Grade Math students. Wink wink

It is DEFINITELY not true EVERYWHERE that the distance between point A and point B is a straight line.

I'm just sayin' - - - -

Last evening Fisherhubby and I were returning home and I dozed off. When he turned from one highway onto another, I jerked awake and for a split second, I SWEAR I thought I was back in CR riding on a bus.

Would I kid you about an important thing like that?


Typical colorful view from the front window of the "bus," which this time appears to be a van - - - but trust me, it was nearly ALWAYS a bus.

Do you see, on the right side of this photo, on the curb, a metal box up on a thin pole? That was where they put their garbage bags! How smart is that? Keep them up off the street and away from pesty dogs and other varmints.

Obviously the folks on the LEFT side of the street didn't get the memo - - -


I just gotta tell ya, I fell in L-O-V-E with these. So many tiny homes - - - I believe we'd call them "cottages" here. Each with a fenced in postage stamp front yard. Most of those were planted as gardens - - - and if they were tiled, then there were pots of gorgeous tropical flowers everywhere.


Aren't they the cutest? And I just gotta tell ya. I realized something VERY important.

Fisherhubby and I could EASILY live in one of these. (Of course Fisherhubby would have to "do" the garden thing as I have a brown thumb.)

I'm pretty sure we do NOT really need our four bedroom, three bath, three car garage MANSION for just the two of us.

No - - - it isn't a mansion by American Standards, but our standards are warped.

Way warped.

Again, I'm just sayin' - - -


Just to let you know, I DID dip my toes for the FIRST TIME EVER in the Pacific. Been to the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico plenty 'o times - - - first time for the Pacific.

I did NOT realize at the time that these flip flops weren't plastic. Oh well - - - so they are a bit warped outof shape now. They still wear.


This is a Costa Rican mall.


They told us it is one of the nicest ones - - - and trust me, it was REAL NICE. I had on capris and flip flops and I was WAY underdressed for the occasion.

I believe this will be my last Costa Rica post, but that is NOT to be misunderstood as a promise that I will never mention it again.

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20 comments:

Julie Harward said...

That is a very nice mall..amazing and the little houses..yes, we could all do with so much less. We ought to give half of what we have to others who need it,maybe one day the world will be better balanced! Come say hi :D

Anonymous said...

I loved the Texaco man!

Di

Jojo said...

Guess what! In Portland it is against the law for you to pump your own gas. Isn't that great!!!

We need more gas station me and you just reminded me of that!

I love the cute colorful small home (and yard). We could all do with a little less.

KBeau said...

Love your pictures. I have seen the Pacific in California, but I'm not sure I dipped my toes in it since it was a bit chilly. That garbage on a pole is a neat idea.

Unknown said...

I'm going to have to get my map and find out where this place is!

Tonja said...

I remember the Texaco song!!!

Now...I'm on a mission. My BFF Shirl, who lives in Ga. is retiring in May after25 years teaching Spanish...teacher of year in AL and GA. She has a daughter, who went to Costa Rica as a missionary for 2 years. While there, she met and married a Costa Rican.
I am going to send her a link to this and see if she and Paulo (CR) can figure it out.

This Super Southern Sleuth is on the case, Ma'am!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I haven't seen a Texaco sign in a long time! Glad you got your toes in the Pacific :) That looks like one of our malls. They really dress up? Those houses are really cute. What a great time you had.

J.J. said...

how big were those garbage boxes? Did they put it in there everyday? Interesting.

I love all the color!

Brenda said...

Those cottages are so cute. I could live in one. Small is the new 'in' thing these days, or so I hear.

Maggie said...

The colourful cottages with their flowers & fences are very sweet, not sure I could live in one year round but as a weekend getaway kinda place mayhaps?
~Maggie~

Gerson & Betsy said...

We had those trash bins in Bolivia. Very handy, let me tell you!

Angie said...

From the sounds of it I should take my camera on a little trip around this house - In England of course. We have streetfuls of tiny little houses. Me and Keith live in one. Just one bathroom and NO GARAGE but for 2 it's ideal. We have a TV! 2 in fact!

Angie said...

Come to think of it I haven't seen Texaco over her either for ages. Have they gone bust or was I blinking when we passed them?

Be Colorful Coastal said...

What a fabulous experience. I have never been but I will add it to my list of places I need to see. Thanks for sharing and thank you for stopping by Becolorful.
Pamela

lilmomma said...

Awwwe your pictures make me miss Ecuador. How I loved that senior trip! :)

ashley said...

it looks great! i do love those little cottage like homes you have pictures of. i remember as well, when we were in puerto rico...there's something intriguing about a brightly colored, windows open, house by the ocean that seems so tempting :)

Kristin - The Goat said...

My dream is to live in a cute little house like that - but here in the US. I think they are wonderful :) Thanks for another great tour. I don't mind if you talk about CR every day for the next year, but then again, you'd have to block me or something to keep me away!!

Kristin - The Goat

j said...

My dad runs a full service gas station but the cost is NOT 25 cents a gallon. It used to be Union 76 but changed to Citgo.

I like you when your eclectic :)

Shannon said...

Brian and I were talking about you last night! He was talking with Michelle Henry's dad last night at a district meeting and they were talking about Lakeview, so we started talking about you. He said, "I still remember being in their camper." I said, "How funny is it that your paths crossed with them and then mine did years later." Isn't God funny!

j said...

Do you hear the crowd chanting? Do you hear them calling their names?

"Brunhilda and Borris!"

"Brunhilda and Borris!"

"Brunhilda and Borris!"

OK, so the crowd is made up of the dust bunnies and I. But I couldn't let you think that Kristin was their only fan!

Ya know, I've got a couple of rabbit S&P shakers... have you heard that joke about the rabbit and the bear in the woods? Hmm, I think I will keep my rabbits in Alabama :D

It really was neat seeing Kristin's POD!