Due to a number of confusing bills our internet connection was disconnected, not by our ISP, but by the government! It took a while to get back, but here we are.
Well, this week Sharon and Niall arrived, and we had a great St. Patrick’s Day, twice.
Sharon and Niall
---------------------
Sharon and Niall arrived after a long day’s travelling on Wednesday night. They were delayed, so it was after 11pm that we arrived back home. They arrived into a few hectic days of partying because of St. Patrick’s Day, but they’re now in La Fortuna to visit the hot springs and the Arenal volcano.
St. Patrick’s night 1
------------------------
Our first celebration of St. Patrick’s was in school on Wednesday. I had one class showing an Irish film, Intermission. It was enjoyable, but I’d forgotten how strong the language and content was, and was relieved that all the swearing was translated as ‘damn’ in the Spanish subtitles. Then we had a cookery class for Bread and Butter Pudding. All teachers had dressed in green, and Sharon and Niall had brought green, white and orange face paint and green hair spray. I had a green shamrock cut into my hair. We had a pub crawl after school visiting many of the bars around Heredia. It was like a treasure hunt, but only two teams completed the course and handed in their results.
St. Patrick’s night 2
------------------------
We went to what was billed as ‘Costa Rica’s first official St. Patrick’s Day party’ in Tica Irlanda in San José. None of the other teachers came, because they were too wrecked following the pub crawl the previous night, so it was just myself and Jack, and Sharon and Niall. I really enjoyed it. The bar was packed. There were free Baileys cocktails and some Guinness ones too. There was only Guinness in bottles, so we stuck to our regular beer, Pilsen. Until it ran out, and we had to switch to Imperial. Until it ran out and we had to switch to Bavaria!
There was live Irish music, provided, as I said, by ‘Fast’ Eddie McAteer. Who it turns out is from Derry. We laughed and sang. There were a lot of ticos and Americans, but only a few Irish. We met one couple from Kildare and Meath who are en route to Nepal, but that was about it. They issued everyone with green hats, and they were very sought after later. They’re now decorating our apartment.
We left after the disco started, because Sharon and Niall were travelling to La Fortuna on Saturday, and I was teaching at 9am.
Bandera Irlandés
---------------------
Sharon and Niall also brought out a little Irish flag, which we now have fluttering on our window. It’s funny, but all of the shamrockery I’d avoid like the plague at home is exactly what I love about St. Patrick’s Day out here.
-----
So that was some week. Sharon and Niall arrive back this (Tuesday) evening. And then tomorrow we’re heading for a few days to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific. I have a few days off and have swapped a Saturday, so we’ll have a nice long break.
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006
Tica Irlanda
Folks,
The count-down to Paddy’s day has begun. In preparation we set off on a reconnaissance trip to check out San José’s only Irish bar.
Desperately seeking a pub
--------------------------------
Dennis, our neighbour, had told us that there was a new Irish bar in San José. The address was 150m west of Hotel del Rey. This sounded easy enough. Easy, that is, if you know your east from your west. I confidently headed east, sure that it was west. We asked barmen, security men, fast food sellers, and even the police. No-one knew where it was, and not even the policeman asked me why, if I was looking for west, was I travelling east?
Tica Irlanda
---------------
Anyway, eventually we found it! It’s fairly new. It’s owned by a guy called ‘Fast’ Eddie McAteer. Apparently he used have a bar in Chicago before. It looks well. There’s a copy of the 1916 proclamation behind the bar, with large pictures of James Connolly and Padraig Pearse on either side. Above are smaller pictures of the signatories of the proclamation.
However, I’m not so sure about how it’s being run. There were very few customers. The manager wasn’t there when we arrived and the 3 girls behind the bar were just having a laugh between themselves, and getting customers to buy them Baileys, of which they had several while we were there.
‘Fast’ Eddie
---------------
A little while after we arrived, ‘Fast’ Eddie appeared. The girls told him that there was a guy who had just left without paying, but that he’d left his glasses on the table. Eddie took the glasses and crushed them. And then set off in not pursuit in no particular direction, because he didn’t know where he’d gone.
The New York bar
-----------------------
While we were in the vicinity, we decided to check out the New York bar. Which apparently was the only bar to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day before. And the signs are up that they’re serving ‘corn beef and cabbage’ on Friday. However, we weren’t mad about the bar. It’s quite big, but full of elderly American’s looking very sad and surrounded by slightly less elderly Tica women. Even sadder were the Tica women who weren’t chatting with the elderly Americans, because they just sat around the wall without even a drink.
St. Paddy’s Day
--------------------
The school is celebrating St. Paddy’s Day on Thursday, because we’re closed Fridays. So we’re going to have cookery classes in how to cook Bread and Butter Pudding (a better alternative to Corned Beef and Cabbage I thought), and show an Irish film. Then after school the teachers, and any students that want to, can come on a pub crawl around Heredia. It will be a pub crawl with a treasure hunt thrown in.
On Paddy’s Day itself, we’re going to head in to Tica Irlanda for the ‘Live Irish Music’, by none other than … ‘Fast’ Eddie McAteer.
-----
So that was this week. I’m really looking forward to this week, because not only have we Paddy’s Day, but my sister and brother-in-law Sharon and Niall are arriving on Wednesday for two weeks.
Pura Vida,
Éamon
The count-down to Paddy’s day has begun. In preparation we set off on a reconnaissance trip to check out San José’s only Irish bar.
Desperately seeking a pub
--------------------------------
Dennis, our neighbour, had told us that there was a new Irish bar in San José. The address was 150m west of Hotel del Rey. This sounded easy enough. Easy, that is, if you know your east from your west. I confidently headed east, sure that it was west. We asked barmen, security men, fast food sellers, and even the police. No-one knew where it was, and not even the policeman asked me why, if I was looking for west, was I travelling east?
Tica Irlanda
---------------
Anyway, eventually we found it! It’s fairly new. It’s owned by a guy called ‘Fast’ Eddie McAteer. Apparently he used have a bar in Chicago before. It looks well. There’s a copy of the 1916 proclamation behind the bar, with large pictures of James Connolly and Padraig Pearse on either side. Above are smaller pictures of the signatories of the proclamation.
However, I’m not so sure about how it’s being run. There were very few customers. The manager wasn’t there when we arrived and the 3 girls behind the bar were just having a laugh between themselves, and getting customers to buy them Baileys, of which they had several while we were there.
‘Fast’ Eddie
---------------
A little while after we arrived, ‘Fast’ Eddie appeared. The girls told him that there was a guy who had just left without paying, but that he’d left his glasses on the table. Eddie took the glasses and crushed them. And then set off in not pursuit in no particular direction, because he didn’t know where he’d gone.
The New York bar
-----------------------
While we were in the vicinity, we decided to check out the New York bar. Which apparently was the only bar to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day before. And the signs are up that they’re serving ‘corn beef and cabbage’ on Friday. However, we weren’t mad about the bar. It’s quite big, but full of elderly American’s looking very sad and surrounded by slightly less elderly Tica women. Even sadder were the Tica women who weren’t chatting with the elderly Americans, because they just sat around the wall without even a drink.
St. Paddy’s Day
--------------------
The school is celebrating St. Paddy’s Day on Thursday, because we’re closed Fridays. So we’re going to have cookery classes in how to cook Bread and Butter Pudding (a better alternative to Corned Beef and Cabbage I thought), and show an Irish film. Then after school the teachers, and any students that want to, can come on a pub crawl around Heredia. It will be a pub crawl with a treasure hunt thrown in.
On Paddy’s Day itself, we’re going to head in to Tica Irlanda for the ‘Live Irish Music’, by none other than … ‘Fast’ Eddie McAteer.
-----
So that was this week. I’m really looking forward to this week, because not only have we Paddy’s Day, but my sister and brother-in-law Sharon and Niall are arriving on Wednesday for two weeks.
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Oscar and the Oscars
The Presidential election is finished, taxis are disappearing into potholes and the teachers at Intercultura are still partying.
We have a President - Finally
------------------------------------
Oscar Arias is now the President-elect following the resolution of all queries of irregularity, and the acceptance of the result by defeated candidate, Ottón Solís. Absolutely none of the hoopla that surrounded the election itself was evident following the confirmation of the result. I think everyone is just relieved it’s over.
Lent
------
Although Costa Rica is a very catholic country, Ash Wednesday was far less visible than it would be in Ireland. Only one of my students even mentioned the day, and I saw absolutely no-one with the ashes we always see at home.
Pool party
-------------
Sunday saw Jack’s first pool party since returning. One of the new teachers, Heidi from the US, had a party that started at 11am! They like to do things earlier here to take advantage of the light. We arrived at around 2pm and hid in the shade from the strong sun. She lives in a large beautiful apartment near San José, and there is a communal recreation area including a weights room, swimming pool and kitchen / bar area. We were in our element!
Los Oscars
--------------
It was great to be able to watch the Oscars without having to stay up all night. They started at an ideal 7pm, and ran until some time after 10. We’d gone to see Brokeback Mountain (Or The Secret in the Mountain, in Spanish) on Friday. Entry was only €1.70. I really enjoyed it, and was hoping it would win best picture.
That said, I really love Crash (High Impact, in Spanish). I’ve seen it many times, as I use it with my students for class and we have a discussion about racism and discrimination in the context of the film.
I also use The March of the Penguins for class, and so felt I am very up-to-date with my audio-visual materials when watching the awards.
Potholes
----------
I’m not sure when the road infrastructure was built, but it’s certainly never been repaired. Many of the smaller roads are unpaved, but the even the paved roads have enormous potholes. When we were coming back from Puerto Viejo the traffic ahead was weaving in and out like drunken drivers trying to avoid the holes. But this week came the story to top it all. A large 4 wheel drive taxi drove into one and couldn’t get out. The pothole was 2m deep, and the taxi had to be removed by a crane.
-----
So that’s another week’s mail. This week is probably going to be quiet enough, in preparation for Sharon and Niall’s visit, and the Paddy’s day celebrations next week. The school want me to organise a party for the last classes on the Thursday, and a pub crawl for the teachers afterwards. We’re also hoping to try out the new Irish pub in San José, called Irlanda Tica. So for this week,
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Today’s headline in La Nación: State insurers paid c1,100 million to assaulted carriers
We have a President - Finally
------------------------------------
Oscar Arias is now the President-elect following the resolution of all queries of irregularity, and the acceptance of the result by defeated candidate, Ottón Solís. Absolutely none of the hoopla that surrounded the election itself was evident following the confirmation of the result. I think everyone is just relieved it’s over.
Lent
------
Although Costa Rica is a very catholic country, Ash Wednesday was far less visible than it would be in Ireland. Only one of my students even mentioned the day, and I saw absolutely no-one with the ashes we always see at home.
Pool party
-------------
Sunday saw Jack’s first pool party since returning. One of the new teachers, Heidi from the US, had a party that started at 11am! They like to do things earlier here to take advantage of the light. We arrived at around 2pm and hid in the shade from the strong sun. She lives in a large beautiful apartment near San José, and there is a communal recreation area including a weights room, swimming pool and kitchen / bar area. We were in our element!
Los Oscars
--------------
It was great to be able to watch the Oscars without having to stay up all night. They started at an ideal 7pm, and ran until some time after 10. We’d gone to see Brokeback Mountain (Or The Secret in the Mountain, in Spanish) on Friday. Entry was only €1.70. I really enjoyed it, and was hoping it would win best picture.
That said, I really love Crash (High Impact, in Spanish). I’ve seen it many times, as I use it with my students for class and we have a discussion about racism and discrimination in the context of the film.
I also use The March of the Penguins for class, and so felt I am very up-to-date with my audio-visual materials when watching the awards.
Potholes
----------
I’m not sure when the road infrastructure was built, but it’s certainly never been repaired. Many of the smaller roads are unpaved, but the even the paved roads have enormous potholes. When we were coming back from Puerto Viejo the traffic ahead was weaving in and out like drunken drivers trying to avoid the holes. But this week came the story to top it all. A large 4 wheel drive taxi drove into one and couldn’t get out. The pothole was 2m deep, and the taxi had to be removed by a crane.
-----
So that’s another week’s mail. This week is probably going to be quiet enough, in preparation for Sharon and Niall’s visit, and the Paddy’s day celebrations next week. The school want me to organise a party for the last classes on the Thursday, and a pub crawl for the teachers afterwards. We’re also hoping to try out the new Irish pub in San José, called Irlanda Tica. So for this week,
Pura Vida,
Éamon
Today’s headline in La Nación: State insurers paid c1,100 million to assaulted carriers
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