Costa Rica B&B - Hush Valley Lodges
  • Home
  • Travel tips and photos
    • Transportation Tips
    • What To Pack For Your Mountain Visit
    • Activities
    • Hush Valley Lodge
    • Animals Seen At Hush Valley Lodge
    • Special Events
    • Costa Rica
  • Our Story
  • Contact us
  • Home
  • Travel tips and photos
    • Transportation Tips
    • What To Pack For Your Mountain Visit
    • Activities
    • Hush Valley Lodge
    • Animals Seen At Hush Valley Lodge
    • Special Events
    • Costa Rica
  • Our Story
  • Contact us

Home sweet home..ish

2/11/2018

5 Comments

 
We made it!  But you just never know. 
The afternoon prior to leaving, we lost power.  Unbeknownst to us, two rotted trees had fallen in the wind, and blocked the only current open road out of town.  Our friend, Jonathon called and asked us to meet him with our chainsaw to come clear the roadway.  Chainsaws are expensive here, and thus very valuable.  We piled on the ATV and went down to get to work. 
Wasn't long before multiple men and dogs showed up to check out the scene. After a bit, it was a little more like a chainsaw competition at our local county fair. A little less we- have- to- get-this- road- clear, and a lot more - Hey, check out what I can do with a chainsaw!
But, we got the road cleared in time for our epic first bus ride to the Big City the following day.
Taking the bus was actually quite comfortable. Not at all how they depict Central American bus rides in the movies, thankfully. What we had failed to factor in was ( and this is good to note if you ever plan to tour in Costa Rica), the bus depot is in San Jose. Even though the Airport is the 'Juan Santa Maria International Airport', the airport is actually in the neighboring city, Alejuela. Of course, we did not realize this until we were in the City with all of our luggage, many kilometers from the actual airport. So we grabbed a cab and headed that way. It cost about 13,000 Colones or about $23.00. Still, the trip cost under $12.00 per person, and we were pretty pleased with that. We would do it again without hesitation.

Our friend Elly, who owns the dairy with her husband Abel, picked us up from the airport when we returned yesterday.  Sure made us feel like locals!  We went by her city house in Santa Ana. She made us breakfast, and Quinn got to go swimming!
​Her home is in a lovely Co-op neighborhood. We are finding that housing in Costa Rica is as diverse as the ecology.  This neighborhood was originally developed for small vacation homes to escape the city. Now, its a residential neighborhood with a pool and many other amenities.  It was lovely. 
Picture
When we arrived in Santa Maria, we discovered there was a festival going on downtown.  There seems to be a lot of festivals here.  This is a largely Catholic country, and this is the week of Mardi Gras. There will be festivals downtown until Ash Wednesday. Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. I have provided a link to information about it for the unfamiliar. www.calendarpedia.com/when-is/lent.html
In the Catholic belief, Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others.
This year, Lent falls on Valentine's day.  
Saturday's festival featured an Ox cart parade. Ox carts are a tradition in Costa Rica. They have been used for centuries as transportation for goods and farming.  
There were a lot of people at the festival. Partly because its coffee harvesting season, and there are a lot more people in the region, here to pick the coffee. Many people come from Panama to pick the coffee cherries.  Many indigenous Costa Ricans also pick coffee. 
These cultures are easy to spot as the women wear very distinct clothing. 
It's the dressing style for the people known as Guaymies. They are the largest surviving native people in Costa Rica. In the 1960s, the Guaymas, also called Ngöbegues, emigrated from Panama to Costa Rica.
  • Location: Southern Pacific, Province of Puntarenas; Communities of Abrojos in the Canton of Corredores, Conteburica in the Golfito Canton and Coto Brus.
  • Cultural Identity: The colorful and handcrafted traditional costume is still widely worn. Their language is Guaymí, but some of the chiefs and officers also speak Spanish. A literacy program has been established for the Indian reservation.
  • Activities: Agriculture (coffee, rice, beans, corn, palmoil and bananas). Hunting, fishing, pig breeding.
    Crafts: garment manufacturing from natural fibres, colored with natural dyes and tints, mats, hats made from tree bark.

When we finally made it to our friend Allen's street, where our vehicle was parked, we found that the entry way to his road had completely washed out that morning.  This happens occasionally in Costa Rica, we have found.  Fortunately, Elly is savvy, and knew a back route.  We retrieved our car and made it home safe and sound.   
Picture
Casita Update-  the frame for the new casita has been placed. It has a spectacular view of the rock garden and river!  Work will begin in earnest this week with a completion date of March 1,  we hope!  
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for rapid build out updates! 
5 Comments
Ken
2/11/2018 08:23:23 pm

Well as Julie said very interesting. I hope you are keeping a daily journal because
it could turn out to be a great movie.
Love

Reply
John Shepherd
2/12/2018 05:50:28 pm

Thanks for another interesting, and informative blog. Between you and Q, I am learning a great deal about your new home. Hope all the road washouts end soon for you, those have got be a big pain. Enjoyed seeing you on your trip north. :-)

Reply
molly divine
2/14/2018 09:55:31 am

never a dull day. interesting to hear about the bus ride too.

Reply
Forrest Allen Estes
2/15/2018 11:34:23 am

To quote someone I admire very much: always an adventure.

Reply
Kevin link
2/23/2018 08:13:33 pm

Super interesting blog post this week, thanks. Looking forward to seeing the progression of the new casita.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Read BLOG HERE
    EASY
    SIGN UP!

    Receive our blog
    in your email inbox!
    * indicates required
    Picture

    Author

    Dave and Krista are a couple from the Pacific Northwest that led overwhelmingly busy lives. 
    As her son Hayden was graduating high school, and daughter Korynn wrapping up college, they realized it was time to slow down. Life was going far too fast . They wanted to take the time to enjoy stress free living with their eight year old son Quinn.
    Having visited Hush Valley Lodge as guests in January of 2016, they decided this would be the exact change they needed.
    In the pursuit of happiness, they partnered with Jo, Peter, Molly, Gary and Dan to make this dream a reality, and are currently the stewards of the magic that is Hush Valley Lodge.   

    Picture
    Picture
    Click here to pick up your copy of Anne's book! It's all about their adventure and the establishment of Hush Valley Lodge: from leaving their middle-class suburban lifestyle in Canada to reinventing themselvess in the beautiful mountains of Costa Rica. Check it out and if you enjoy it, please spread the word! Thanks!

    Archives

    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.