Inauguration bank holiday

Folks,

It’s a bank holiday here today, although I’m actually working later on. I’m watching the inauguration of the new President, Óscar Arias, on TV.

New President
------------------
There are many leaders of Latin American countries here for the inauguration, in addition to Laura Bush and the President of Taiwan. The inauguration is held in the National Stadium. It’s a little like an amateur version of the Olympics opening ceremony. People are doing gym displays and some marching and dancing. It’s quite unlike what we’ve done in Dublin Castle for the two Marys.

They’ve now been hit by a torrential shower, so there are umbrellas everywhere. There’s also live coverage of the chef preparing the state dinner (in a marquee!).

CAFTA
----------
Since we arrived here, the major public issue has been the Central American Free Trade Agreement, known locally as TLC, Trato Libre de Comercio. It’s an agreement to lift trade barriers between the US and the Central American countries, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.

Many people here are opposed to the agreement, feeling that it’s too favourable to the US. There have been many protest marches and you can see posters and stickers on people’s windows saying ‘No to annexation, no to TLC’. It’s been ratified in the other five countries. It’s likely to be ratified by the new President as he’s in favour of the agreement.

Selling in the streets
------------------------
One of the features of life here is the street sellers who are everywhere. As you go even to the supermarket, you have to run the gauntlet of people selling lottery tickets, mobile phone covers, jewellery, pirated CDs and DVDs, in addition to fruit vendors. When you take the bus into San José, someone often gets on and makes a long speech about their hardship, and then sells pens to passengers to make some money. The story is often about their health problems. One guy had been the victim of a car crash, and showed us all his x-rays.

Men looking for women
-----------------------------
I’ve just bought a copy of the local English language newspaper, The Tico Times. There are many personal ads in the newspaper, the majority older guys in the US looking for younger Tica girlfriends with a view to marriage. This is a typical example.

Marriage-minded 43 year old athletic surfer / fireman from San Diego, California seeking Tica / Nicaraguan / Panamanian will be in Beatle Bar, Jacó Beach Costa Rica June 16-24 ask for Brendan Mac. Hope to see you! Will buy your first Cacique! email me bmcinerney@san.rr.com.
-----
Well, that’s it for another week. The inauguration is over now, and there’s a Colombian telenovela (soap opera) in its place. The rain has stopped, and I’d better get ready for school.

Pura Vida,

Éamon

Today’s headline in La Nación: Óscar Arias takes over as President of Costa Rica