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oh, as far as restaurants go–there are plenty in the Central Valley area that cater to organic, vegan, vegetarian. The menu choices are much healthier there in general. La Mazorca closed but there is Shakti in San Jose among many others (forgive me but I’m terrible with names–your new Tico/a neighbors will help you with this), but most small town restaurants will serve fairly healthy food as long as they don’t use “manteca de cerdo” (lard) or some other saturated product. You can’t deny that lard makes very tasty food, but also very unhealthy—unfortunately. By the way, once you contact the organic farmers, they will also be a wealth of info as to places to eat delicious and healthy meals. Hope this helps and yes, you will feel much better once you learn at least a bit of Spanish–especially to get around town (directions being given differently than you might be used to). Best of luck in your new adventures in CR 🙂
I have to tell you that I love your blog name! Anyway, there are different places you can get the produce & other items depending on where you will be living. The “organic feria” (farmer’s market) has been moved around a bit (San Pedro, Desamparados..), but there are orgs that keep track of where they may be found (see link). If you contact UNED, UCR or UNA (call the extension depts. of these universities), I worked with the farmers thru IICA (in Coronado, SJ)and ask for the Costa Rican offices, but I think the easiest thing is to try this link:
http://www.agriculturaorganica.org/ferias.htm
They had managed to place some of their products in the supermarkets–I really don’t know how that’s going now, but you can always find someone that will tell you how to find these products. Costa Ricans are very generous with that kind of info. Once you make contact, ask them if they are fully organic or not. Certification is a long process and some are just starting so that you can make informed decisions. They will not be using chemicals but the land may still have a ways to go before it can be considered & certified organic. Pura Vida!
Noam Chomsky said in a 1995 interview with Kevin Doyle:
“I think the current era has ominous portent, and signs of great hope. Which result ensues depends on what we make of the opportunities.”
Those opportunities we choose to seize and be part of will most definitely impact our lives and the lives of our children. Even if powerful lunatics rain horror upon humanity, I believe that as long as any of us have breath left, we must seize those opportunities to make a difference–even if its just one person at a time…Pa’lante Scott…
Considering Bimbo Bakeries touts $1.2 billion in sales, I don’t foresee them vanishing anytime soon…. Maravilla, you bring up an excellent point about the chemicals in our foods. By the nature of the process, pesticide/chemical fertilizer use in produce farming increases every year. Organic produce is available in CR and although more expensive, they’re a great option. The farmers that realized the role these chemicals played in the atrocious indices of stomach cancer (esp. in Cartago) decided to take a chance and began the long, laborious and expensive process to learn about organic farming and have their farms certified organic. It’s been really difficult for them to keep their production going, organize and compete with the “regular” pesticide laden produce that is so much cheaper/more readily available. Not to mention, that they’ve had to confront the contradictory information being given to the CR public regarding their safety and real benefits. I think the additional cost is well worth it, especially for foods that do not have thick skins and are eaten raw. That said, they must be thoroughly washed to avoid ingesting bacteria or other organisms that could cause health problems for you and your family. Last I heard, they have a separate “feria” in some places and take up part of the regular feria in some other towns. They don’t just have produce; they also have breads, honey, cheeses among other items. I love their goat cheese; it’s the mildest most delicious goat cheese I’ve ever tasted. Part of this chemical mess started because producers recognized that consumers preferred prettier produce/products and didn’t realize how they were compromising everyone’s health by focusing on the superficiality of bigger & better looking. (Of course, much of the motivation to begin and continue with chemical farming has been economic, but I don’t think the producers/farmers knew the health risks when this use began.)—I only recently started in the WLCR forum, but I’m really glad the people here have foregone that route when discussing the issues of the day (sometimes it gets a little bumpy and bruises are felt here), but I’m also glad that we take the time consider another persons opinion–even if we don’t choose to adopt it as our own. As diverse as the opinions are, they truly seem to be motivated by a deep personal love for Costa Rica, not just the investments we may have or dream of having there..…Pura Vida amigos/as…
Maravilla, I needed a good laugh, thanks!I laughed so hard remembering all of those horrible products and how I had to find a million ways to keep my daughter from buying the cute little bear pastries during recess and inevitably getting a stomach ache! I always thought they were Mexican, but surprise, surprise, they also have a US corp that is associated with Entemann’s, Boboli, Thomas (among others)–Gee, now I’ll never have my whole wheat English muffins without thinking of that nasty bear! (LOL)
As in all of the Americas, Costa Rican indigenous people don’t celebrate Columbus Day either, except to protest–he means death, devastation,the loss of their way of life and their very dignity (among many other things). Although we shouldn’t bear the guilt of what others have done before us, we do have the responsibility today of trying to correct those mistakes by our everyday actions. We certainly have to be willing to accept the cost to others of what we do today…(and please don’t make this comment about the SI or NO group–everyone knows in their hearts and as history unfolds the toll of these mistakes)….
There are many ways to put a company out of business when you’re a big gun and can hold out longer, but you’re absolutely right about the consumer deciding whether or not to loose their mom & pop pulperias for 24-hour type marts in most towns. If what happened to the local bakers and the availability of delicious & original Costa Rican pastries in most CR towns is any indication, then hello coffee from God knows where (in a country with amazing coffee!) & KKs–nothing against the KKs being available, but I do have a problem with the typical CR foods (among other things) being lost forever. Who knows, maybe CR will make better choices this time now that so many people are talking about this….It will be interesting to see what happens in different areas of CR. Even though the SI vote won in Limon, I have a feeling that just as the Conquistadors had trouble getting hold of Limon, they’re not going to have an easy time of trying to homogenize this area…………Por dicha!!
I was wondering if anyone knows if Ticos have made up any jokes about this whole mess? They’re famous for creating the craziest jokes about the thorniest issues. Please share them, I could use a good laugh and I couldn’t find any on the Internet version of La Nacion…
There’s no reason to think that there isn’t natural beauty anywhere else, including the US. You know, there are a lot of good looking/wonderful people out there, but most of us choose one person at a time to fall in love with even if we can still see the beauty and the attraction in many others. This is even true of cultures that allow for more than one mate at a time….Choosing CR or our mate is not a statement of how unappealing another place might be, just that our hearts found a home in a particular place or a persons eyes…I’m sure some people can’t find any good in the US or its people and that’s unfortunate for them because they will certainly miss out, but the US beauty is its own and Costa Rica’s beauty is also autoctonous–its the beauty that sets the standard for me and that I (along with many, many others) choose to be in love with….
Lotus, I hope you’re right and we get (even if just a little bit) of integrity back in our own government–frankly, it won’t happen unless “we the people” call them on it. That’s why I would never begrudge Costa Ricans their right to demand that their process be transparent. I wish we would do the same….
Alfred, Of course some elements will not be satisfied, it was almost half of the voters that said NO! They need to process this and investigate anything that seems off to them. It’s easy for you to express a sentiment of just get on with it, but everyone has a right to THEIR own process without it being labeled anything else. In the end they will work for the good of their country because Ticos/as really do love their country.
As for the leftist pressure, that actually served to scare the … out of some people to vote SI. Costa Rica has had a fairly strong communist party before, that doesn’t scare them because the majority of Ticos/as are a lot more moderate than that, but the thought of Mr. Chavez is another issue. You’re correct in saying that there were a lot of things that were not morally correct even if economically acceptable to some. Now, that is the rule of the day and it may be just what Mr. Chavez needed to find an open door to get in. Economic disparities are exactly what has opened the door to extreme leftist ideology everywhere, I pray that will not occur in Cost Rica and I believe Ticos/as will work hard to make sure it doesn’t–CAFTA or no CAFTA…
I don’t know about others, but I live in an almost rural and beautiful area of NJ. There are horse farms & small mountains in the distance. Nature is beautiful and full of energy everywhere! Nonetheless, for me, it’s in Costa Rica that I feel it most. It’s not just nature it’s also the people and a synergistic effect with my very soul. This is not meant to diminish any part of the US, its people or anywhere else on this planet…That wonderful country and its people have meant “Pura Vida” for me for more than 24 years which is why I love it so…
If you think that security issues are becoming a problem in CR, take a stroll in Chacaito (neighborhood in Caracas) and let me know what you find. Venezuela has had and continues to have very difficult social, political and economic issues to handle. By that, I don’t diminish any of the good that the general population has been afforded by some of the current reforms. Oh, and about real estate, if you really mean Hugo Chavez, just remember that he’s continuously stating that Fidel is his idol. Consequently, when the people begin to greet him saying, “Please come in, this is your home too.” Trust me, he will take it quite literally–just like his idol! I wish I could laugh about it, but frankly he scares me a bit more than Fidel…It saddens me that the place that Simon Bolivar called home & loved so much and that place I was born in hasn’t been able to come up with a better solution. Between the Cuba-Venezuela situation, it’s no wonder I feel at home in Costa Rica and I don’t wish to see CR as part of a trifecta!
This whole issue is exhausting and my heart goes out to the people who were born there, live there (expats & nationals) and those who love CR from afar for various reasons. I have to believe that in the end, Ticos/as will find a way to make the best of it. As for myself, I have a tremendous urge to fly in, hug my family & friends and then head out to Manzanillo were the exuberance of its mountains, sea and animals along with convergence of some of CR’s cultures can fill my heart with hope again. What I would give to share the ocean with dolphins and hear some howler monkeys right about now….
I agree that Costa Ricans have a right and a duty to choose their path–Alfred, that includes them questioning the votes if they feel something went wrong. If everything was done appropriately, that will be confirmed and the people of Costa Rica will feel better. That’s what transparency in democracy is all about, not blind acceptance. There was a lot of “fear” induced propaganda on both sides, with one big difference, the NOs were speaking of what might happen and what has happened in other countries while on the other side there were companies telling their workers that if CAFTA did not pass, they would pack and move this very year–Companies that were the MAIN source of income for already low income communities–this was one of a few things I heard. That was not conjecture, those were threats to peoples immediate livelihoods. Even people that do not make a living in these communities felt burdened at the thought that their vote could cause a humble factory worker to loose his/her job. Everyone wants to live well and hopes to provide a better life for their children, but there was a lot more than just the desire to adopt a US style materialism in yesterday’s vote. Now the decision has been made and all who love Costa Rica need to watch and support the people in THEIR process so that Ticos/Ticas can make the best of it somehow…Pura Vida..Rebe
It’s sad what happened in the US Simondg…Thankfully, Costa Ricans tend to call their leaders on the carpet when necessary. I have more faith in Ticos to find/prove election fraud (if in fact it did occur) than for it to ever come to light in the US…Today is a personal & politically sad day for me, but Life continues and we must honor & cherish it Tico style, Pura Vida and I hope we keep watching the process as intently as possible….
