Love Hate Relationship With Motorcycles

If you have read some of my blog entries you can deduce by now that I am not overly fond of the loud motorcycles that roar through the neighborhood where we currently live.  However, I must confess that since we arrived a month ago, I have been on the lookout for a particular man on a particular motorcycle.  So know one misinterprets my intentions with Henry, the man in question, he is the  illusive Palmito cheese supplier.  I was going to call him "dealer" but that might sound like I am looking for some kind of a drug dealer!  Anyway, this morning I overheard my 89 year old, english speaking only, mother-in-law trying to converse with someone outside.  When I stepped outside, imagine my surprise when I see Henry, the cheese guy!  Our taxi driver, Walter, had introduced me to Henry several months ago during a trip to Atenas.  We bought cheese from him and found out he comes through town twice a month.  Poor Henry had a perplexed look on his face this morning when I smiled at him, and proceeded to say, "you are just the man I have been looking for since I arrived in Atenas!"  Anyway, I explained myself, and then bought some wonderful cheese and got his phone number so I can continue purchasing from him after we move to our own home.

I have accumulated a number of contacts here in Atenas as great resources such as Henry, the cheese guy.  There is Pablo, the attorney (everybody needs one in Costa Rica since the attorney does a number of things, to include facilitating purchasing a vehicle), Bernie the pool guy, Freddy the mechanic, Guido the lock tech, Charlie the gardener, Miguel the taxi driver,  Walter the aiport transport with a van, Wilson the tour guide, and Coca, our home builder.

I could not tell you any of their surnames, except for our lawyer's, but they are all programmed in my cell phone with their respective professions!

Addresses, specific numerical addresses are also pretty non existent here.  So, if you are going to find a place, you are provided markers such as bus stops, restaurants, other businesses, and then an estimated number of meters from there.  If a GPS is used then actual coordinates, rather than street names with numbers are given.  Essentially, it is like going on a treasure hunt!  I have also learned to use markers such as trees, cell phone towers, and homes as markers to get from point A to point B.

The next couple of weeks there is a festival in the nearby town of Palmares.  I read that the festival is expected to attract over one million people!  Wow, that is a lot of people, especially considering that there are only approximately 5 million people living in Costa Rica.  Today as we headed into town we noticed much heavier traffic headed in the direction of Palmares and noticed many people in town dressed in cowboy hats, cowboy boots, and plaid shirts.  For a minute, I thought I was back in Texas, except for the the lack of big "bubba trucks" or Dooleys!  One rarely sees big trucks here since the price of fuel is over $5.75 per gallon.  Toyota RAVs, Mitsubishi SUVs and Land Cruisers are more the norm.  The Palmares festival even has its own website as it considered one of the top two premiere festivals of the year.