The Howler
Volume 17, No. 12 Issue No. 195
December 2012 Founded 1996
TAMARINDO COSTA RICA www.howlermag.com THE HOWLER Ced. Juridica: 3-101-331333
FEATURES
Publisher, editor and production David Mills
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dmills@racsa.co.cr Tel: 2-653-0545 Howler • Mono Congo
14 Around Town
CONTRIBUTORS
ELLEN ZOE GOLDEN TONY OREZ TOM PEIFER JEFFREY WHITLOW MONICA RIASCOS
JEANNE CALLAHAN JESSE BISHOP MARY BYERLY ROBERT AUGUST
Openings, closings, parties, music. The Gold Coast has it all, and bar-hoppin’ David is in the groove.
15 Surf Report
Gilbert Brown, winner of the Circuito Nacional again, adding to his championships of 2004 and 2008, is interviewed.
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Deadline for January: Dec. 15 Howler advertising
The Howler offers a wide range of advertising sizes and formats to suit all needs. Contact David Mills • dmills@racsa.co.cr
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Ads must be submitted on CD or e-mail attachment, JPG or PDF format at 266 dpi, at the appropriate size (above). All comments, articles and advertising in this publication are the opinion of their authors, and do not reflect the opinion of Howler Management.
www.tamarindohomepage.com
Bugs!
New resident in Tamarindo finds that his living space is shared with a variety of wildlife.
20 Gallery - Hallowe’en
Our always popular photo montage features costumes from Hallowe’en parties at Coconut, Sharky’s, El Garito and Pasatiempo.
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Surviving Costa Rica
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House Warming Party
The Ghost of Christmasses Past return to haunt our columnist, and she is called Carol.
Building a house for his clients, our writer notices how close his project is to a battlefield.
DEPARTMENTS
400
Discounts For 6 months, paid in advance, one month is deducted. For 12 months, paid in advance, two months are deducted.
www.tamarindobeach.net
Dining Out
An exciting new concept is Gazebo, in Garden Plaza Tamarindo, serving Middle Eastern delicacies in a supper club ambience.
9 Parents’ Corner
31 Slice of Life
10 Music Review
32 Doctor’s Orders
11 Book Review
36 Sun & Moon
12 August Odysseys
36 Rain Gauge
28 December Forecasts
37 Word Puzzle
30 Yoga
39 Tide Chart
Cover Caption: Jasmine’s by the Sea, a Mediterranean Restaurant, at El-Sabanero Beach Hotel in Playa Flamingo, Tel: 2654-4311. www.jasminesbythesea.com Cover Photo: Brian Nuñez. Cover Design: Guana Designs
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t the time of writing, Tamarindo is enjoying good business with a large influx of tourists, mostly from North America. Of course we know that this period is a “false high season” and will die off in the first couple of weeks of December; even so, the early figures are encouraging. Many hotel and cabina operators tell me that they are heavily booked through January and February, and WestJet is fully booked for flights in January non-stop from Toronto to Liberia.
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AyA’s (national water company) shoddy service is seeing results. In Tamarindo the local ASADA is offering to provide water service to new areas of town, and at much lower prices. Even so, our rainy season started late and finished early, with lower rainfall levels that 2011, so there may be water shortages in high summer. Don’t waste water!
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Costa Rica measured 110th on the scale of “Doing Business” out of 185 countries, a pretty shoddy rating, according to a United Nations survey.. And, you know, it would be so easy to improve this figure, by cleaning up some of the ridiculous and unnecessary procedures in government and business. But first, you have to want to… In late September, a United Nations affiliated organization report said that Costa Rica had the highest rate of robberies of all countries in the Western Hemisphere in 2010. The report said that 43,000 robberies took place that year in Costa Rica.
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On behalf of the neighbours above Hotel Best Western Vista Villas, I would like to thank hotel manager Trevor, who has taken steps to reduce the noise from the Ladies’ Night at Monkey Bar. How long before we see a death or two of the skateboard loonies who rocket back and forth at night along the main drag outside the Casino? Last time I looked there was a pretty good skateboard park opposite SuperCompro. Have a happy – and safe – Christmas and New Year. If the Mayan Calendar permits!
Tamarindo the Healer
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leave Tamarindo a little itchy, a little sunburnt, a lot more relaxed, a lot happier, more educated, and more spirited. I came here with no idea what I would find; just a promise from a dear friend, that I would not be disappointed. Well, that was truly the case for Tamarindo. I needed a break from my nursing job, from taking care of sick patients, and actually a break from myself. Someone told me that it was rainy season in September, that things would be quiet, green, and wet. “Horrid conditions, book me,” I replied. We chose to stay at the Best Western Tamarindo Vista Villas and enjoyed great food, staff, and a great location. I was so enthused about the kind of attention, generosity, and genuineness of both the locals and the staff who quickly became friends. Everyday the staff and locals shared conversations, food and tour suggestions, and smiles. It was exactly what the doctor ordered…knowing someone was going to take care of me, a burnt-out nurse in need of some rejuvenation. People went out of their way to make us comfortable, relaxed, and well-hydrated (hello, my new best friend, Imperial.) Even the hotel manager took time out of his busy schedule to get us to the airport on time through closed roads during a town marathon. How is great is that for fabulous customer service? The funny thing is I didn’t pick Tamarindo for the surfing conditions. I don’t even surf or care to try; I am small, uncoordinated, and have fear for the power of water. However, everyday I went to the beach and watched the surf schools with both seasoned and unseasoned surfers. Some were coughing salt water, some had mastered the art, and others struggled just to paddle out. I wanted to be a part of it, even as a daily spectator. Surfing to many is part of something bigger than life, something connected to a higher power, something like a natural high, and something that takes patience and practice. All of us should try to find something that motivates us or ignites these feelings. I learned some life lessons from the surfers while sitting on that beach chair with my feet in the sand and the sun in my face: take risks; it’s all about the timing; try new things; be ready for a 360…anytime; work hard and practice; bring a good attitude and some sunscreen; not everyday will be perfect conditions; do your best anyway; if you fall off, get back up; be outdoors and enjoy more sunsets; take salt in your nose and with your margarita :) I think this week in my life has opened my heart again and given me the strength to keep working on my life goals and passions. I would like to thank the people of Tamarindo and the surfers for being the medicine I needed to refill the well, to find some peace, and feel something again (good). And as I take the time to learn surfer lingo and vocabulary, I find out that my name – Judith - means “a newbie surfer chick who’s only there to get the boys (actually quite appropriate!! LOL)” Muchas gracias, Tamarindo, hasta pronto! Judith Oliverio, RN, Huntington Beach, California
Gazebo Restaurant
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Garden Plaza • Tamarindo
azebo is a new concept in Tamarindo – a tapestry of delicious flavours from all parts of the Middle East, a delight to the eye as to the palate.
Shon Kapeta and his wife, Mika, opened the restaurant in beautiful Garden Plaza, surrounded by a waterfall and ornamental ponds full of rainbow-coloured carp and turtles. Chef Abuleil Rasem, from Galilee, cooked for 25 years for the King of Jordan. All ingredients are local and super-fresh.
Appetizers include twelve salads: hummus with Mediterranean eggplant; Greek and Turkish tahini; Moroccan salad; Arabian pizza, Monegasque mushroom salad; Waldorf salad; sweet corn with cucumber; carrots with pineapple. Pita bread is baked before your eyes. Mouth watering yet? Follow this with kebabs of lamb, beef or chicken; rice with lentils; green falafel; spicy lamb in sauce. Desserts include Flan Jerusalem; mixed seasonal fruits; Middle Eastern ice-cream. A full bar adds the final touch – and there is a shuttle bus from Barcelo in Langosta at frequent intervals. We lunched at Gazebo and were delighted by the meal and ambience. Shon and Mika are dedicated to providing enjoyable dining. There is a kids’ menu, free for under-12s; and a full vegetarian menu. Locals receive a ten percent discount. Satisfaction guaranteed: if you did not enjoy the meal, you don’t pay! Prices are very reasonable for an exotic experience. After 9 p.m. the restaurant becomes a supper club, with music and dancing until midnight. Open daily for lunch and dinner. All credit cards accepted. Contact Gazebo at 60460730.
Parents’ Corner Dyslexia - Struggling With Words Dyslexia is a learning disability characterized by a persistent difficulty to understand written text, as well as to distinguish and memorize letters and groups of letters, amongst other problems. The World Federation of Neurology defines dyslexia as “a disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence and sociocultural opportunity”. Early symptoms of dyslexia are: • Child learns relatively late how to speak clearly • Confusion when pronouncing words that are phonetically similar • Difficulties with remembering the name of a series of things (i.e. colors) • Confuses spatial – orientation vocabulary • Difficulties with rhymes and sequences • Greater manual than linguistic ability, usually above average skills to build with blocks, legos, etc. When entering Primary School and starting the formal reading and writing instruction, children who are dyslexic: • Show great difficulty to learn how to read and write • Invert numbers and letters persistently • Confuse left and right • Have difficulty learning sequences: days of the week, months of the year, fingers of the hand, the alphabet, multiplication tables • Difficulty to plan and organize written texts • Tendency to confuse verbal instructions and phone numbers • Great difficulty to learn a foreign language Because these particular characteristics interfere with the expected learning process within a regular classroom context and make them stand out in the group, dyslexic children can show self-esteem problems, become disruptive or extremely inhibited; sometimes even depress; these behavioral problems are not symptoms of dyslexia, but the logical consequence of a progressive frustration that is derived from not being able to meet expectations, and from not being understood. A proper diagnosis must involve the teachers, as they are the first ones to notice “red flags” and will be able to share specific observations in regards to the child’s information processing. A formal assessment will first rule out possible physical causes, like visual or auditory problems or brain injuries, but also deficiencies in the instructional method or a below average IQ. Once other causes have been ruled out, a psychoeducational testing of viso-motor skills, reading and writing methods, reading comprehension and brain dominance, for example, will determine type and severity of the dyslexia. If detected and treated early, children can overcome their difficulties. Treatment consists of a completely personalized program, adapted to the child’s age and symptoms. Each child experiences different difficulties and will require that different aspects of his learning process are emphasized. To overcome dyslexia the child basically has to learn to read and write all over again, adapting the learning pace to the child’s capacity. Medication is neither necessary nor indicated. Beyond the label of a learning disability, dyslexia really describes a type of mind, often a brilliant mind that happens to process information differently than most people. With sensitive support from family and school and with the appropriate pedagogical approach, dyslexia does not have to be “suffered” but rather experienced as one of the many individual differences in the way we humans learn. “Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.” Winston Churchill (dyslexic). Msc. Mónica Riascos Henríquez Psychopedagogist – Member of ASOLAP – Code 2024 consultariascos@live.com
Music Review Monty, a Musician in Motion
Tony Orez
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amont Davis has an interesting musical history. His dad was a disc jockey and Monty (his stage name), listened to his father’s large, diverse music collection: everything from polkas to country, blues to bebop. He had an affinity for vocalists, including Ray Charles, Patsy Cline, Frank Sinatra and Elvis, so yes, Monty also had cultured good taste in music and knew what he liked. He owned a guitar but didn’t really practice enough to call himself a musician. That would come later, after his Big Break. It happened circuitously while he was a law student in Berkeley in the early seventies. His roommate, an adept guitarist and jazz historian, struck a deal with him: Monty would attend his roommate’s classes and act as a human tape recorder and, in exchange, his roomie would teach him everything he knew about music. And voila! The doors were opened and Monty found himself ensconced in the likes of Django Rheinhardt and all the “real guitar players”, as he explained to me. The San Francisco Bay Area has long been a musical Mecca, rich in diversity. Monty soon found himself sitting in on rhythm guitar with swing bands, getting his chops down, under the tutelage of skilled guitarists, including Roy Plumb and Mike Dowling. Upon graduating, he set out on the mission of becoming a professional musician. He started with vocal bands, continued to hone his guitar playing and paid his dues for a full eight years on the road. At this point, he met his soon-to-be wife, eschewed touring and put his musical career in suspension. He returned to playing his guitar, especially serious jazz guitar, in 2006. Through it all, he told me that being able to look back and see his improvement in playing over the years is the biggest reward. Lamont has written a semiautobiographical screenplay, “Becoming Ray Notes”, which relays his experiences in the music world. The work passed through the Outer Circle of Hollywood a few years back and has now entered the Inner Circle via someone who knows someone who knows someone, etc., but Monty is excited about the prospect of actually having his story told. He’s been spending time in Costa Rica for the past five years and has recently been visiting Tamarindo. He has played a few early Sunday evening live shows at Kahiki Restaurant that went very well, with a tremendous crowd response. He has also been sitting in at Open Mike at Hotel Pasatiempo on Wednesday nights. I was astounded to meet someone who even knew who Dan Hicks was, let alone play some of his songs. Monty told me he had played an extended gig with Naomi Ruth Eisenberg, one of The Lickettes from Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks; impressive credentials, indeed. Monty plays an interesting range of musical styles, from singing to jazz to blues and soul. I’m not sure how long he will be in the area, but this is an opportunity to see a musical historian perform live, before his movie hits the big screen. We can say we knew him when he was playing at some of our local hangouts.
Book Review Tony Orez
The Nevins’ Meaningful Vacation
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’ve just finished reading “Random Thoughts – A Trek Through the Nubri Valley with Nepal S.E.E.D.S.”, by W.P. Nevins. The book is a compilation of Bill’s notes and diary, along with numerous photos from the trip he and his wife Margaret took into the Nubri Valley near Tibet in 2010, but it’s really so much more than that. For example, the written portion is printed in a font that resembles handwriting, so it has a personal feel to it. And I think that sums up the entire presentation of the book: on one level, it’s an interesting first-hand report of a trip into an area I think most of us would find intriguing. The other part of the story is what the Nevins were doing there. This story is a woven fabric that really begins in San Francisco, CA, in 1976, when Bill made friends with a group of people who would travel to Nepal in 1997 and then form NepalSEEDS (Social Educational Environmental Development Services) “Promoting change one village at a time” a year later. Bill was busy himself in 1997, meeting Margaret and persuading her to accompany him for the rest of her life; but he’s been an avid follower and contributor to NepalSEEDS since its inception. The 2010 trip to the Nubri Valley had been on the Directors’ agenda for some time when Bill and Margaret showed an interest in joining them. Bill told me that he and Margaret planned and packed for a good ten months prior to the actual Himalayan trek. And by Bill’s account and photos, an incredible journey it was, indeed. The landscape is stunning, (they ascended to over 4,000 meters in altitude), the villagers are more than endearing, and the blossoming growth in the various projects is heartwarming. NepalSEEDS has the philosophy of listening to the locals’ needs, rather than mandating change. They view every village as an entity and try to accommodate them as such. Bill’s observation is that needs increase as you climb in elevation. NepalSEEDS has built fluid, working frameworks to move from village to village. They have become experts in creating biogas, water systems, and composting toilets. Respectfully, they’re developing health clinics based on indigenous knowledge and medical traditions, and they’re working with teachers and parents to strengthen education at a primary level. Bill’s book also recounts the human element of physical challenges, a dramatic airlift of an intensely sick child, and Bill falling off his horse… Bill’s written account of all of these encounters holds a human touch to them, as do his hand-held photos, (some displaying the incorrect date). While most people take vacations to get away from it all, others, like the Nevins, use their time to go to a place to experience the results of their personal endeavors. Bill’s book is really an account of this undertaking. The Nevins have been in Costa Rica for more than eight years, living here permanently now for more than seven. As evidence of where their collective heart lies, all proceeds from the sale of Bill’s book go directly to NepalSEEDS, a worthy foundation whose website can be viewed at www.nepalseeds.org . There is a limited number of this book available at Jaime Peligro bookstore in Playa Tamarindo. In addition, with every $250 donation to Nepal SEEDS, the author will provide a signed copy of the book, free of charge.
August Odysseys
Robert August
Name That Break
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urfers are very secretive people, very protective of their surf spots. With the growing popularity of the sport, more and more “secret spots” are being inundated with new surfers. Whether to protect their favourite waves, or just out of convenience, most surfing breaks have been identified with names. Sometimes the name is meaningful, sometimes fanciful. Many names are based on local nature, or not so local: Avellanas means hazel nut tree, although there is no hazel within many miles of that beach. Other names may have personal or historical connections. The famous Guanacaste break Ollie’s Point is named for the infamous Colonel Oliver North, who helped smuggle arms and cash illegally to the anti-Marxist rebels (Contras) in Nicaragua. North used a small airstrip near the beach to bring in the booty. A surf break nearby was named Ollie’s Point. In the Tamarindo area, Henry’s Point is named after a local bar owner. On Playa Grande, just across the river from Tamarindo is a break called Casitas, for a small hut that was on the otherwise-deserted beach. The Ladies’ Room at Tamarindo is a favourite spot for many women surfers; another popular break in Tamarindo is Suizo, named for the nearby Hotel Capitán Suizo. Out in the bay is Bambora, origin unknown. Other colorful names are Boca Barranca at the mouth of the Río Barranca; Labyrinth near Nicaragua; Pico Alto in Perú; Rincón, for a corner break in California; also in California is Trestle, a break near a railroad bridge. The famous Witch’s Rock in Northern Guanacaste, location of a well-known surf break, has caves and holes through which the Papagayo winds howl. It is said that the howling may be heard in far-off Liberia. The locals, always superstitious, named the rock for the witches that they believed caused the shrieking. Years ago I was staying at Tamarindo Resort. There was a small wave between the Resort and Nogui’s Bar, where I used to watch a group of girls surfing. Later, at the bar, the girls asked “What is the name of the wave we have been surfing?” We didn’t know, told them that it was their wave, it was nameless and that they would have the honor of naming it. Next evening, they came to the bar all excited and said “We named the wave!” “OK,” we asked, “what did you call it?” “Beaver Break!” they chorused.
Caring For The Children
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead
AROUND TOWN Dr. Carlos Santos has opened his new dental clinic at Plaza Vista Verde in Playa Potrero, for all dental services and free consultation. See ad on page 27. PC Solutions offers this month, great deals and new inventory of accessories & inks! Visit the store at Huacas and find out about desktops and printers on sale. See ad page 23. Fisch Restaurant-Bar-Lounge is the new restaurant bar at the Voodoo location See ad page 19. Join us at Tamarindo Church to celebrate Christmas on December 24th, 5 pm. Weekly Sunday services in English begin in January 2013. See our website at www.tamarindochurch. com Carl Wilson has opened Sangria Lounge Bar, for drinks and a good time at the old Caroline’s location, 50m west of Super 2001. See ad page 18. Great seafood, and typical Costa Rican food, is served at Sabores del Mar, at the junction in Villarreal. See ad page 33. La Bodega Artisan Foods and Cafe Tico operate a weekly local farmer’s market in front of Cafe Tico in the plaza outside Jaime Peligro. Open at 8 a.m. Saturdays with locally-grown produce, artisan cheeses, organic snacks, local handicrafts and more. Cambios Extremos is a full-service spa offering a comprehensive range of treatments. See the ad on page 5. Mary’s Place, in Playa Negra, has reopened under new management of Karine and Franck, with a new menu and the specialty of French Pastry. See ad on page 23. Bortex, in Liberia, will embroider your message or logo onto a wide range of clothing. See ad on page 8. Kaytes has shoes for the whole family, from elegant slippers to hiking boots. Opposite Coopeguanacaste in Huacas. See ad page 27. The Shack has reopened in Potrero, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. See ad on page 27. Tecni Repuestos Huacas sells and services Honda Motorcycles, Quads, outboards, water pumps. See ad on page 25. Koi Restaurant serves lunch and dinner on its balcony overlooking the ocean at Aqua Discoteque. See ad page 17.
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Surf Report Photos: Fabián Sánchez
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hen 30-year-old Gilbert Brown won the Circuito Nacional Olympus 2012 this past July it was a little unexpected. Sure he was talented enough to pull it off, and certainly he was high enough in the rankings to make the move that would earn him his third national championship title. It’s just that there has been a rash of young talent in this year’s Circuito who, coming into the Gran Finals in Playa Hermosa, were wrestling for top spot. As a matter of fact, Jair Perez of Jaco was ranked #1. With Perez absent from the last date of the tournament the Puerto Viejo surfer, a striking figure in the water with his dreadlocks, blew away the remaining youngsters and their airs with good old-fashioned power surfing and radical turns. Experience bested youth. Just what is the backstory of this man who is now arguably Costa Rica’s best surfer making history with this year’s national championship, along with trophies from 2004 and 2008?
Ellen Zoe Golden (ellenzoe@aol.com) break,” Gilbert explains. “First time was a challenge, but Salsa Brava has always been a big challenge for me. Salsa Brava takes a while to learn. You have to take it slow, I mean you can’t go out and surf it right away. Even big people have to take it slow. Of course, I was scared, but I knew I could do it.” “I think Salsa Brava built my courage, especially for bigger waves,” he continues. “I can now surf anywhere in Costa Rica, and Costa Rica has some pretty strong waves. Every kid that wants to compete should always surf Salsa Brava.” Certainly a lifetime on that treacherous break earned him the right to be called the Ambassador of Salsa Bravo. Even living in Jaco the last few years—his second home—doesn’t dissuade him from being a “100% a Puerto Viejo guy.” Surfing Salsa Brava’s risqué wave prepared Brown for the two trips he’s made to Hawaii’s North Shore. The first time he was there, he took one look at the set coming in and had to paddle right out. Photos of those sessions began popping up in international surf magazines, and you can still see them if go online. Right now, he is trying to work out a new visa to get back to Hawaii again, but not in the popular month of December, where the North Shore is peppered with surfers catching those waves. Brown prefers fewer people and more calm out in the water. Whether in Hawaii or Costa Rica, Brown has his own particular style. He focuses on staying on the wave, perfecting his turns and smacking the lip. His favorite move is the radical turn.
Growing up in Puerto Viejo was a dream for Gilbert, living in front of the ocean, in a town of few people, perhaps 200-300 locals. This was, and is, a fishing community, where everyone takes care of each other. Brown’s dad was a fisherman, and he’d wait all day for him at the beach. As a matter of fact, second to surfing, his love is for bare-handed fishing for mackerel, snapper and more. It’s in his blood. Of course, spending all day at the beach, it was hard not to notice the surfers in the water. So, at around six or seven, he ventured out on a local spot called Escalitas, a beach break with a right that was about 1 to 2 feet high, perfect for kids. After mastering that spot, he moved to Cocles Beach, just a bit south of Puerto Viejo, where he built his courage. It wasn’t until he was ten that he tried the most challenging wave in Costa Rica—Salsa Brava. It was on the reef break of Salsa Brava, that Brown grew up surfing. “When you go out to Salsa Brava it has to be head-high to
“I don’t do too many airs; I’m really radical on my turns so I get good scores. Why change?” he asks. “I prefer a solid wave, overhead. I feel more comfortable there, and there’s a lot more space where you can release your body, moving fast.” (You can, however, see him do a few airs in the short film made by director Saul Garcia, a submission made for Taylor Steele’s Innersection on the Surfing Magazine website.) There’s no better place to see Brown perform his moves than each year on the Circuito Nacional de Surf. Facing this crop of new, young strong surfers like Anthony Fillingim and Noe Mar McGonagle, he says he works hard to stay in shape “I just go surf, and if I have a bad session, I’m back the next day.” As I explained earlier, during this year’s Circuito, he was battling Anthony and Noe Mar to win the whole thing. Brown recalls: “Before I started the contest, I knew I needed to get at least to the Quarterfinals and to beat them to score enough
(continued page 26)
Bugs!
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little warning to newcomers to Costa Rica. When I first came back last October, a friend threw a tea party to welcome me back home, and there was a cute fluffy caterpillar inching its way across the coffee table, so I scooped it up in my hands and flipped it out the door. Several gasps could be heard from the assembled crowd, but at the time I had too much momentum to alter my action. I turned to the group and asked what was up. It turns out that some of the fuzzy little incipient butterflies have some gnarly nasty venomous stings, and this time I was lucky not to have saved that particular variety! I’ve become pretty good about developing the habit of turning my shoes upside down and tapping them together a couple of times before slipping my feet into them, just in case something has moved in overnight that might not appreciate being awakened by my toes. The same goes for shaking out the towel before drying off after a shower. And if I don’t have my glasses on, I don’t swat stuff with my bare hands! Bugs in Costa Rica are everywhere, and humans are constantly adapting our defensive strategies as we encounter them. Some of us have a full-on no-tolerance approach, and become sources of financial backing for thriving extermination businesses. This has always struck me as a futile gesture, doomed to failure in the face of overwhelming numbers and diversity. I generally try to draw a “line in the sand”. If they’re outside, it’s their space; if they’re inside, they belong outside. I use a range of tactics to try to defend this decision. If they can be caught or swept or somehow moved out to find their own way out, that’s my number one choice. Sometimes it’s as simple as leaving the same opening they came in through open ‘til they find their own way out. This is generally my approach with leaving the door open for bees and butterflies. Other times it means I sacrifice some comfort to keep the door closed despite heat and humidity so they won’t be irresistibly drawn into my artificial lights in the evening. This is my strategy for moths and mosquitoes and those damn little no-see-ums I can’t see even with my glasses on! Window screening is an incredibly simple defense that for some reason just hasn’t caught on much here in Costa Rica, and at my casita, this means I walk the interior perimeter several times a night with a fly swatter to manage the domestic mosquito population. As Myamoto Musashi, seventeenth century Samurai author of The Book of Five Rings would advise, knowing your adversary is another great defensive strategy. As a knowing friend once said to me, “The ants own Costa Rica. They just tolerate us sometimes.” I tend to be a fastidious kitchen cleaner (my son says I’m OCB, but I prefer to think of myself as Zen-like). Still, one day last week I counted four different varieties of ants on the kitchen counter top! One variety of ants is so small I hardly see them without my glasses on. These tiny ants have an incredible ability to detect, mobilize and populate any sweet substance. They will let you know within moments if you didn’t do a good job of cleaning the counter, cutting board and knife after you finished your pineapple treat. Didn’t wipe off the neck of the honey
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The Road to Río
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e are on the way to the World Cup of Football in Brazil, June 12 – July 13, 2014, and Costa Rica is in the running.
The first round of qualifiers leaves the CONCACAF Group with six teams – Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and the United States – going into Round 4. Mexico is strong, winning all six games in Round 3; USA won 4; the other four teams had 3 wins each. The top three teams will advance; the fourth place will play the winner of Oceania (probably New Zealand) in November 2013. The winner of this two-game tournament will also advance. Round 4 Schedule for La Sele de Costa Rica: Feb. 6 Mar. 22 Mar. 26 June 7 June 11 June 18 Sep. 6 Sep. 10 Oct. 11 Oct. 15
Panama United States Costa Rica Costa Rica Mexico Costa Rica Costa Rica Jamaica Honduras Costa Rica
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Costa Rica Costa Rica Jamaica Honduras Costa Rica Panama United States Costa Rica Costa Rica Mexico
The other international divisions: Africa comprises 10 groups of four teams each; Asia has two groups of five each; Europe fields 53 teams in nine groups; Oceania has one group of four teams; South America has one group of nine teams.
Go Sele!
If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman. Margaret Thatcher
Dawn of the Dogs
Olivia Sixsmith
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hen I first arrived in Tamarindo, it felt that there was something lacking… something that seems to characterize beach resort towns up and down Costa Rica and indeed beyond, across Latin America. It took me a while to work out what it was and then I realised: street dogs. Unlike most beach towns which are plagued with all types of unloved, mangy and injured dogs, Tamarindo seemed to be strangely unafflicted by this issue. I mean mangy dogs, who can sometimes be quite scary, especially if you’ve seen the rabid eyes of some, don’t really do much to enhance a town do they? And in actual fact, packs of dogs, common in many resorts, can actually put tourists off staying a few extra days, none of which does anything for those of us who live here, most of whom are involved in tourism in one way or another. Talking to a few locals for a while it quickly becomes obvious what has happened here and the same name keeps popping up: Dawn. On further investigation it seems that yes, this British lady, Dawn, has indeed had a lot to do with the reason Tamarindo is street-dog free, or at least not overrun like other resorts. I spent a day with Dawn in Brasilito, 12 kms from Tamarindo, seeing her work first-hand. We vaccinated dogs, treated them for worms and distributed dog food, and, most of all, Dawn educated the local population. She has an easy manner with locals and creates an instant rapport with adults, children and pets alike. As a result the locals respect her and the information and guidance she imparts. In Brasilito for instance, a local lady called Yorleni informs Dawn, or Doña Alba as she is affectionately known, of all of the houses where there are dogs in need of her help. In each village there is an equivalent of Yorleni who is working to share the benefit of Dawn’s work with her fellow residents. In my short time with Dawn I saw the extent of her work: there are always more dogs to treat and more dog-owners to educate. In her eleven years here in Guanacaste, Dawn has been involved in the treatment of thousands of street dogs, including spaying and neutering of nearly 11,000 dogs and cats. Treatment can take a variety of routes, whether treating rampant viruses such as the tick-borne virus Ehrlichia, treating ear, eye infections and skin problems, giving vaccinations, spaying and neutering - Dawn has been involved in all these procedures. Every three weeks Dawn goes into a different community to run a spay and neutering clinic and, in total, covers twelve villages in the area. When there is an emergency that she is unable to resolve herself she takes them to the local vet Dr. Cavallini in Santa Rosa. She also works with Universidad Nacional de Animales (UNA) in San José who are a big supporter of her work. Whilst Dawn’s efforts have made a visible impact on the resorts, the work is not cheap. Even with the discounted prices offered by Dr. Cavallini to support her work, with the amount of dogs she’s working with the bills can still add up to a substantial sum. She charges locals exactly the price of the vaccinations and treatments. But what happens when it’s a street dog with no owner in sight or if the family can’t pay? Of the people that she works with only 30%
(continued page 23)
Fisch
Letter
Restaurant-Bar-Lounge
R
Tamarindo Streets
ecently Mark Schneider, a home owner in Langosta, returned to Tamarindo after a long stay, saw the condition of the roads and wrote a big letter on Facebook about it, saying that we should be ashamed about it. I contacted him and offered my help, and we started on this big project.
Before
A
fter being Voodoo Lounge for five years, Fisch is born. The concept of Fisch is to be different in any senses, adapting to our town, which we all know is special. Putting the emphasis on local fish and seafood, we try to get all of our ingredients as Guanacasteco or Tico as possible. Serving Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, we will have something for every taste at accessible prices.
Mark went to the Municipalidad de Santa Cruz and fought with them, and eventually he obtained sixtyeight hours of work with grader, trucks and other kinds of big machines. But they didn’t give us any material to make the roads higher and stronger, so we decided to ask for help from the community.
With financial help Mark repaired the Langosta loop and I did the roads in Tamarindo. It was last-minute work and I ended putting in some of my own money. It was a crazy five days; we worked from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., put in new drainage, gave the roads a different shape. We had fights with a lot of people, because we had to close roads without informing people. It was very challenging but it came out well in the end. I also worked hard to raise money. Thank God almost everyone pitched in and understood the situation. I hope everyone enjoys the new roads and has a better life because of them. We hope to raise more money for future maintenance.
In our back patio, we just completed a big barbecue to be ready for larger groups, private parties, business events, you name it. It is also the platform for the Beach Nuts new theater production, named Aladdin. Some Murder-Mysterydiner- shows will be held in December as well. At night, a few times a week, we will have some party and dancing time, but not till too late… Rosie’s Investments is reopening right beside the new Restaurant, where we also sell tours and have the operational base for all activities. We hope to see you soon at FISCH.
After
Contact us at Tel: 2653-0100 or e-mail to rosiedb@gmail. Rosie & Denis
Please drive safely, do not go too fast. With new roads there will be more business for everyone and customers will return. Nobody likes nasty roads!
Ps: We wish the best for Nicolas, the ex-owner of Voodoo, at his new place at La Palapa.
gian luca arcieri Koi Restaurant
Tel: 2653-0810.
Halloween
2012
WHAT ARE WE DOING COSTA RICA? Cynthia Osborne Charpentier Moving Day To move or not to move, that is the question. Why moving? Is it good or not? To me it is a nightmare! I have moved in my life fourteen times. If you have your own house, great! You don’t have to move anywhere. If you are renting and moving, for so many reasons it is not a great time. If you move for “better”, that’s OK; if not, what? Lawyers, payments to finish, bags, bags, bags, boxes, boxes, boxes (If you can find them). Next, transportation: how many trips, how much will it cost, what is garbage, what do I take, throw away? What is not going? Do I need bodega time, workers, money, stealing staff, missing items? Staff, they don’t care, and you can not even find your underwear or important papers. “I don’t know how can they not move easily. I just moved once. To move you have to have a lot of order: put labels on each bag or boxes for rooms or kitchen, etc.” (Luz). “I moved from Sardinal to Puntarenas and San José. It was easy, my mom took me there (but I had no furniture)”. (Mariana). Then what? Coopeguanacaste, ICE, AyA, Cable to clear, all these cost money. Then re-signing all these things in the new home. Still a nightmare? “I will help, but it is too much to move, and knowing that everything goes, then waiting for boxes, filling and labeling them. On the new house you have to order, boxes up, boxes down, I don’t know what to do with them”. (Facundo). “Those people who move have car, the camion, that’s easy, they have everything to move. I have never moved”. (Liche). So moving is fun, interesting and a nightmare. You cannot control your body or your brain. Everything is a roller coaster. Stress! Tiredness! But to move sucks because is work, let somebody else do it. (Norman). “It is too complicated, a lot of work. I moved only once, and it is very laborious”. (Raul, Cable Tica). So my point is: “Move or not to move”, is your decision or need. But you have to be ready physically and mentally, because it’s really hard, a BIG experience! And to me will be forever a nightmare!
Dawn...
(from page 18)
are able to reimburse Dawn fully for the drugs and treatments she provides. Twenty percent pay half the price and the remaining 50% can’t pay for treatment at all. As well as vaccinations, worming, antiparasite and other treatments, Dawn buys and distributes over 300 kilos of dog food every 2 weeks or, to put it another way, a whopping 8,000 kilos a year! Dawn funds most of her work out of her own pocket with occasional support from organisations such as SASY (Stop Animal Suffering Yes!) which has an annual benefit auction to raise awareness and funds every November. But this work is expensive and, in order to keep Tamarindo and the surrounding resorts street-dog free, Dawn needs your help. We are appealing to any local people living in Tamarindo and throughout the Guanacaste coast to support Dawn and her invaluable work through a number of means. For instance, Dawn is always looking
for foster homes for abandoned puppies or for dogs like ‘Coqueta’. The first picture shows her after she’d been taken from a home where she’d been tied up for months, with an infected injury, in the heat, without sufficient food or water. And the second shows the difference a month makes. With proper treatment, food, love and affection, ‘Coqueta’ had become strong, bouncy and inquisitive: just like a boxer dog should be. Alternatively, if you are interested in volunteering with Dawn, speak Spanish and have your own transport, she is always interested in having support on her rounds as it means she can cover more homes and therefore treat more dogs. Most importantly, Dawn really needs financial help to continue to keep Guanacaste’s dogs healthy and happy and to reduce the number of unwanted, unloved street dogs on our streets. If you would like to make a donation, please go to her fundraising page: http://www. gofundme.com/19u2yo. And, if your skills are in the fundraising or publicity arena, or you would like to be part of this important work in any other way, you can contact Dawn directly on: dawnannscott@gmail.com or find her on Facebook: Dawn Ann Scott. And please remember that every little bit helps, $10 from enough residents can quickly add up to enough to vaccinate or spay a dog. Support Dawn’s work: Help keep Tamarindo Street Dog free.
V
aleria DeCastro is a woman with a mission, a very laudable mission – to bring music to kids. As a member of the organization MusicTogether, she uses a standardized program to teach fun music to children from the age of two weeks to seven years and, by extension, to their parents. MusicTogether is an 25-year-old international organization based in New Jersey, US, that recognizes that all children are musical from birth and can sing, keep a beat and participate in group music sessions. Valeria, a Brazilian guitarist who spent many years in Indiana, operates the only MusicTogether program in Costa Rica out of La Paz School in Flamingo, where she offers classes to the community, not just for La Paz children. Some of the benefits of learning music as a fun pursuit are: children can sing before they can speak; it strengthens the bond between children and parents; changes the life of a family. The language does not matter – music is universal. Movement, too, is an essential part of the process – arm-waving, clapping hands, dance steps, drumming, jumping, etc. These all help link the child’s activity to the music playing in his/her mind and to develop motor functions. Children learn much more from active participation than from the normal passive interaction from music on TV or radio. And the best thing about this learning is that it is free from pressure to perform, free from expectations. Children learn through play, at their own level. Lessons are reinforced by two CDs – for the home and the car – so that the child has the familiar songs available while playing, riding or during babysitting. These CDs, along with a booklet, allow the parents to continue the learning outside of the lessons. They are invaluable on boring car trips. At home, the children can be encouraged to sing along to the CDs, accompanying themselves on “instruments” such as pots, plastic bowls, wooden spoons, and any number of readily available rhythm instruments. Songs used in the lessons come from a wide variety of cultures and language, showing that music is indeed international. Each semester parents receive a new CD and songbook to inspire and support them in making music a part of their, and their children’s, daily lives. Older children will react to songs and rhymes, associating the sounds with enjoyment from recognizing the learned music and rhythms. On completion of the lessons, the child will have an inventory of songs, sounds and rhythms stored in its memory. Classes are held weekly for ten weeks. Contact Valeria at 85185629 or puravidabrazil@gmail.com for more information. You can learn more about MusicTogether at www.musictogether. com.
Bugs!
(from page 16)
bottle before screwing on the lid and setting it on the shelf? Within two minutes the neck of the bottle will look like it’s grown pulsating fur. But don’t throw out the sugar bowl just yet! It turns out these tiny creatures really don’t like it if you fool with them. They don’t like to be jostled, and they don’t like sunlight. So stir and shake the sugar bowl and set it out in the sun for a few moments and they will move out about as quickly as they moved in, at worst leaving only a trace detectable by electron microscope. I’ve become pretty good about developing these bug habits. But this morning I let my guard down. I got out of the shower, wiped down my hair and face, and was moving down the back and torso when something that felt like a glass sliver poked me in the hip. Inspecting the towel, I saw a sort of black ball. Tipping and unfolding the towel caused the scorpion to unroll to its full length. For some bugs the “no tolerance” response kicks in. I shook the critter off the towel onto the shower tile, but without shoes, what to do next? And, wow, can they move fast when motivated? Meanwhile, the glass splinter was becoming more like a really gnarly bee sting (good it was in an area without too many nerve endings). And this is weird, but my tongue felt like it had got a dose of Novocaine. Not too much later, to complete the affects, the pounding throb of a migraine headache kicked in, all of which continued for the next twelve hours. Later in the afternoon I saw a doctor friend and she told me that if I became nauseated or began to vomit I should get over to the clinic. Thankfully, these symptoms never materialized. After I showered I alerted the housemates and the next one into the shower was able to locate and execute the “no tolerance” option. My experience with the scorpion pales in light of a recent sharing from a friend who brushed against Megalopyge opercularis, also called the “paralyzing puss” caterpillar. Wikipedia has this to say; “The ‘fur’ of the larva contains venomous spines that cause extremely painful reactions in human skin upon contact. The reactions are sometimes localized to the affected area but are often very severe, radiating up a limb and causing burning, swelling, nausea, headache, abdominal distress, rashes, blisters, and sometimes chest pain, numbness, or difficulty breathing…Additionally, it is not unusual to find sweating from the welts, or hives at the site of the sting. Ironically, the resemblance of the larvae to soft, colorful cotton balls encourages people to pick them up and pet them.” As my friend describes the experience, “I just spent an hour literally and completely paralyzed from one of these little cute critters rubbing across my hand...the hair is poisonous, causing an instant burning and then the poison spreads within an hour to the lymph nodes, bringing extreme pain and sometimes paralysis… I think that a person really only needs to experience this once in a lifetime.” Though less dramatic, I feel the same about being stung by a scorpion!
Terry Mills
Surf Report (from page 15) points to win the championship. I believe the waves were helping me. I surf that spot a lot, and I know to be patient and wait for the right waves.” They took the fight all the way to the finals, where the competition, according to Gilbert, came down to the person who wanted it the most. “These young kids, they just have to keep at it and they will win,” says Brown. “They do airs and get 8 and 9s. I do turns and get 8 and 9s. Now airs are so common, the advantage is to me if I do a good turn, I get good scores.” There are a couple of surfers among the younger crowd Brown feels are in line to be a national champion, or maybe even a strong international ambassador for Costa Rica. “I have a lot of faith in Jair (Perez), Carlos (Muñoz) and Anthony (Fillingim). The one with the most chance now is Carlos, with his sponsors paying for his travel to international competitions, and his good results out there. If he can focus, he can make it farther than anybody in Latin America.”
Despite these nudges from the younger kids, Gilbert is not even close to retiring. At this point, he is more than content with competitive surfing in Costa Rica’s Circuito. He doesn’t want to do the Asociacion Latinoamericana de Surfistas Profesionales (ALAS) Latin Tour because it will cost him about $60,000 to travel all over the Latin world to do that circuit. He did, however, commit to competing in the ALAS dates that are close by, like El Salvador, Guatamala, Nicaragua, and, of course, here in Costa Rica. But he’s not worried about being challenged here at home in this country’s Circuito Nacional de Surf, because he feels that Costa Rica has one of the highest levels of competitive surfers around. “It’s hard to win a contest here. There’s no money, but you feel like you accomplished something when you win.” (continued page 37)
Your Stars in December
Aries: 21 March - 20 April
Libra: 23 September - 23 October
The first two weeks of the month hold some tension for you as Mars joins Pluto in Capricorn and squares your sign as Uranus in Aries goes into direct motion on the 13th. Use this edgy energy to take some kind of action…just make it the positive kind--no angry outbursts and no hostages, OK! The new moon on the 13th offers you some insight into higher consciousness if you are open to it, but use caution if traveling around this time. Best days are the 20th and 21st.
This month has some intensity surrounding money as the lord of karma, Saturn, is in your second house of wealth. There’s some fallout from the Mars-Pluto conjunction at the end of November and, with Uranus in Aries on your solar seventh, relationships are breaking down. Transiting Jupiter is in your solar ninth, offering some insights and hope if you reach out for the spiritual lesson. Use the positive energy of the 7th and 8th to connect with those who can help.
There’s an emphasis on relationships this month as Venus in your opposite sign of Scorpio looks to bond or at least hook up with someone. Secrets revealed on the 6th will offer clues to whether this is the right thing to do for you right now. Your mind is also concerned with matters of higher education and consciousness this month as two power house planets are in your solar ninth house. You could also be considering booking a trip abroad. Days things go your way are the 22nd and 23rd.
You are feeling a certain amount of power this month as Saturn, Venus and Mercury are in your sign. This is a great time to promote yourself as you’ll come off as responsible, confident and charming. There’s some tension with family members and/or neighbors who have some axe to grind with you. Just figure they need to vent and you’re the available target. Get a handle on your money issues on the new moon on the 13th, as you turn a corner on the past. Keep positive people around you on the 9th and 10th.
Taurus: 21 April - 21 May
Gemini: 22 May - 21 June
Matters of health are a priority for you this month as you need to make some changes to correct a chronic condition that surfaced last month. Positive information comes in around the 6th that will help you stay the course. Relationships go fairly well but some financial obligations are so oppressive right now your mind is mainly on solving those problems. Ask for help and have a plan for re-payment in place. Use the positive vibes on the 24th, 25th and 26th to your best advantage.
Cancer: 22 June - 22 July
With Uranus in Aries going into direct motion in your solar tenth house of career on the 13th, you are ready to launch a new business plan or branch of operations. Just be careful who you sign contracts with as they could take advantage of your generous nature. It would be wise to postpone that activity until February, actually. Christmas will be a pleasant time and you’ll get your family fix to the max. The 1st, 27th, full moon on the 28th and the 29th are your best days.
Leo: 23 July - 23 August
The month begins with a focus on the home, your parents, and real estate matters. There may be some disappointing news in those matters as the lord of karma, Saturn, is transiting your solar fourth house. Don’t ignore any health issues for yourself as two powerful planets, Mars and Pluto, are in your sixth house of health. Work matters could take a critical turn this month too as you need to take action to correct an imbalance or dispute. The 3rd, 4th, 30th and 31st are your power days.
Virgo: 24 August - 22 September
Lots of busyness this month as planets transit your third house this month and you are made very aware of things that need attention. Siblings and neighbors reveal some secrets. The new moon takes place on the 13th in your solar fourth house then it conjoins Pluto, indicating a certain amount of intensity surrounding certain situations. Pay attention to what family members are telling you, receive the information and figure out what to do about it later. Good days are the 5th and 6th.
Scorpio: 24 October - 22 November
Sagittarius: 23 November - 21 December
The beginning of the month has you a bit reclusive or experiencing a need for solitude. The new moon in your sign on the 13th gets you ready for something new as you venture, refreshed, into the world again. While it’s not your true nature to be introverted, it’s a necessary process as your ruling planet, Jupiter, is still in retrograde motion in the social sign of Gemini. Money matters are still a major concern but a breakthrough comes in the new year. No worries, your best days are the 11th, 12th, 13th and 15th when Venus enters your sign and cheers you up!
Capricorn: 22 December - 21 January
You have lots of power to accomplish your goals and ambitions this month as Mars transits your sign, joining forces with Pluto and empowering you to take definitive action. Be aware that, with this power, a loss of control of your emotions could trigger some nastiness around the new moon on the 13th. Some female could confide in you at this time which could affect a business decision. Your power days are the 14th and 15th.
Aquarius: 22 January - 19 February
The month begins with some need for serious inner reflection about your life and your beliefs. If you need to make amends to anyone you’ve hurt, the new moon on the 13th offers a perfect opportunity to do it. The full moon on the 28th may kick off a need to connect with your roots. Your energy improves after the 25th when Mars enters your sign. Your best days for accomplishment are the 16th and 17th.
Pisces: 20 February - 20 March
Lots of emphasis on your professional life and income as well as some foreign travel possibilities this month. Concentrate on your professional life the first two weeks, as things get less serious after the new moon on the 13th. While the pressure eases after the 14th, there still is the possibility for some intensity around the end of the month as the Sun makes contact with Pluto. Speak up if you need to as you don’t want to be taken advantage of. Good days are the 18th and 19th.
Disarming the Costa Rican Army Robert Darmsted
E
verybody knows that Costa Rica has no standing army, as an indirect result of the revolution of 1948. But how many know the details of the revolution?
A national election in 1944 was fraudulent, Teodoro Picado Michalski taking the office of president illegally, upsetting public order with almost-daily riots, with government troops filling the streets with tear gas. For the next election in 1948, measures were taken to ensure a fair election. Candidates were Otilio Ulate Blanco, owner of the newspaper Diario, and Rafael Calderón Guardia, the Picado candidate. When the votes were counted and announced on election night, it was clear that Ulate commanded a large lead, but the government closed the count and declared Calderón the winner. Picado and Calderón intended to establish a Caribbean-style dictatorship, while Ulate and his supporter José “Pepe” Figueres were determined that the country would be a democratic state, with popular free vote. Calderón allied his party with the small communist party as he needed their support, and the divide between the Calderonistas and Figueristas was deep. The government had a standing army of 300 men and augmented it by impressing 3,000 more, most of them Nicaraguans, from banana plantations on the Pacific Coast. They were issued cheap, ill-fitting uniforms, a blanket and a Remington 45/70 rifle. During the day the blanket was rolled and carried on the shoulder, earning them the nickname “mariachis”. The government stationed a couple on each street corner in San José, but failed to provide them with food, drink or relief, except for an occasional issue of guaro. The small American community in Costa Rica was largely proFigueres and supported the revolution. Many were actively involved in supporting Figueres, including TACA International pilot R.B. Hall, who told this story: “There was a man whose station wagon we used (I and another TACA pilot, Captain Vine) to collect Remington rolling block 45/70s from hungry homesick temporary soldiers during the revolution. The car owner agreed to drive but did not want to be involved in reducing the effective (ha! ha!) fighting force of the Calderonistas. Buddy Vine and I collected a total of 26 rifles and transported the “mariachis” to the edge of the city with a paper cup of rice and beans and pointed them towards their grieving family. With the rifles we collected a cloth sack with a couple of dozen mouldy, corroded cartridges. Some of the rifles were useless because the cartridges could not be removed from the chamber due to corrosion. We found that, after tying the rifle to a tree and using a long string to pull the trigger only one in four rifles would fire, and the spent cartridge could not be removed.” The remainder of the army was disbanded by José Figueres after he became Presidente de la Junta Fundadora de la Segunda Republica (1948-49).
Now Begins the Study of Yoga Meditation
I
n Patanjalii’s Yoga Sutras, the 8 limbs include Pratyahara (withdrawing the senses), Dharana (intense focus), and Dhyana (meditation, or the uninterrupted awareness). Each of these limbs is in essence some form of meditation. Meditation therefore is often a part of a daily yoga practice, along with the physical postures and breathing exercises. The number of ways and types of meditation is just as great as the number and ways of doing yoga poses. One way to incorporate meditation into your day is to do things in a meditative or mindful manner. In mindfulness, you pay attention to whatever you are doing in that moment. I ran across a great explanation of this in a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese monk, called The Miracle of Mindfulness (1975). “I usually wash the dishes after we’ve finished the evening meal, before sitting down and drinking tea with everyone else. One night, Jim asked if he might do the dishes. I said, ‘Go ahead, but if you wash the dishes you must know the way to wash them.’ Jim replied, ‘Come one, you think I don’t know how to wash the dishes?’ I answered, ‘There are two ways to wash the dishes. The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second is to wash the dishes in order to wash the dishes.’… “If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not ‘washing the dishes to wash the dishes.’ What’s more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can’t wash the dishes, the chances are we won’t be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future – and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.” (p. 4-5). The reason to practice mindfulness in your life is just as these paragraphs explain – to actually live the minutes of your life. Have you ever wondered where a day went? It may be that you could enjoy more, and feel less like life is slipping by practicing paying attention. Try to bring mindfulness into something each day, be it brushing your teeth, getting dressed, or even washing your dishes. See if the being present during that one activity starts to bring more mindfulness to other areas of your life as well
Namaste, Mary
Mary Byerly is one of the owners and the yoga teacher at Panacea. An oasis of tranquility and health 10 minutes from Tamarindo. Discover Paradise and Bring a Peace Home www.panaceacr.com • 2653-8515
A Slice of Life The Dog That Wouldn’t David Mills
F
or my first three score years I was a “cat person”. No prejudice against dogs, but I lived in a big city and don’t believe that is a happy environment for a dog. Also, a cat tends to be self-sufficient and intelligent, and needs very little attention, which suited me just fine. Then I moved to Costa Rica and found that a dog is pretty much de rigeur for security reasons, and Tamarindo is a very happy place for dogs. So I became a “dog person” and have enjoyed the experience. Yes, dogs are totally dependent on humans for just about everything, they are high-maintenance and can be very stupid, but they are affectionate and they do the guard job very well. A cute kitty sitting at the end of the driveway going “miau” doesn’t have the deterrent effect of a vicious, slavering dog whose immediate ambition is to sink his incisors into a plump human thigh. After my first dog died a friend offered me a beautiful puppy of the Brazilian Fila race. This breed was unknown to me, but she was a beautiful bitch. I named her Cariad, the Welsh word for sweetheart because she was, and asked if she was pure-bred. “Nearly,” answered the owner. “She was supposed to be, but it didn’t work out.” “How can a dog be ‘nearly pure-bred’?” I asked “Either she is, or she isn’t”. Pressed for an explanation, she told the sad story. The mother, Lexie, was pure-bred Fila, and Joan wanted to breed her. Searching the Internet, she found a pure-bred male Fila in San José. Following negotiations, and waiting until the time was right, ovulation-wise, she took the trip to the Big City and introduced Lexie to her suitor, a really guapo animal. Anticipating a litter of perfect - and valuable - little Filas, Joan kept in touch by telephone daily, but learned that the marriage was not being consummated; in fact, the male showed no interest at all in sexy Lexie. Rather than labelling him gay, let’s just say the chemistry wasn’t right. A couple of weeks passed with no sex occurring between the happy couple, so Joan went to San José to retrieve the dog. Arriving home, she placed Lexie into her chicken-wire pen and started another search for suitable male, preferably one with the appropriate inventory of hormones. During her first night home, Lexie was visited by the dog across the street, a very handsome and horny dog, but lacking the required lineage – in fact, a mutt, but certainly not gay. He dug under the chicken wire and treated himself, and Lexie, to a night of unbridled passion. Cariad, along with a clutch of beautiful siblings, was the result.
Doctor’s Orders Jeffrey Whitlow, M.D. jwhitlow82159@gmail.com
W
Cocaine
e have been focusing on the harmful effects associated with each drug or class of drugs. This month and next month I will write about cocaine.
As with all drugs at the time, cocaine was sold over-the-counter in the US until the Harrison Act was passed in 1914. That law basically restricted the narcotics trade to physicians and pharmaceutical companies. To quote WebMD, now cocaine is called ‘the caviar of street drugs” and the “status-heavy drug of celebrities, fashion models, and Wall Street traders”. The illegal trade of the drug brings in billions of dollars, and causes crime and violence in scores of countries. I don’t think anyone seriously believes that cocaine is harmless, yet despite several high-profile cocaine-associated deaths, like that of the college basketball player Len Bias in the 1980s, cocaine is extremely popular in the US. Officials estimate that 8-10% of adults regularly use cocaine. Evidently the users don’t realize that cocaine is toxic to heart and brain cells at a certain dose level that is different for each individual. This is further complicated by the fact that, in most cases, the substance is delivered in an impure form that makes it impossible for the user to effectively monitor his or her dose.
Casagua Horses The greatest variety of tours and riding experiences for all ages, featuring spectacular countryside, howler monkeys, colorful small towns and fun-filled fiestas. Cantina Tour - Nature Tour Fiesta & Tope Rental - Old Tempate Trail Tour Located near Portegolpe on the main road, opposite the Monkey Park, just 20 minutes from the beach.
Phone us at: 2-653-8041 • kaydodge@racsa.co.cr www.paintedponyguestranch.com The best horses on Guanacaste’s Gold Coast!
The heart is controlled by electricity, as is the rest of the body. Since the heart is so powerful though, it can be looked on as the biggest “consumer” of electricity in the body’s “grid”. A relatively large electric current passes through the heart with every beat. That electrical current coordinates the beating of the four chambers of the heart so as to maximize the efficiency and output of the heartbeat. When I was a practicing physician, I treated patients who had overdosed on cocaine. They had heart arrhythmias. In other words, their hearts beat out-of-sync and ineffectively, or they quit beating altogether. This happens because cocaine at a certain dose kills the heart cells. The cells that carry the electric current through the heart that coordinates the heartbeat are especially sensitive to cocaine toxicity, so they are the first to die. No conducting cells, no electrical current, no heartbeat, no blood flow, no life. A heart attack usually occurs because a blockage arises in one of the major arteries that supply the heart muscle cells with oxygen. The heart muscle cells that get their oxygen from that artery die, and if the area of cell death is big enough, the heart quits beating effectively and the person dies. Since cocaine at a certain dose causes heart cell death, if the person takes too much, they can kill enough heart cells to have a heart attack, and that attack can be fatal. Usually the only way to take that much cocaine is to smoke it. It is VERY dangerous to smoke cocaine or crack cocaine. It is much easier to overdose that way, as the form of the drug that can be smoked is relatively pure when compared to powder cocaine. Next month we will continue to discuss the harmful effects of cocaine.
Alcoholics Anonymous Schedule of Meetings
Flamingo
Tuesdays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open) Fridays: 5:30 - 6:30 pm (open)
Location: Hitching Post Plaza Unit 2, Brasilito Contact: Don H. at 2-654-4902
Tamarindo
Saturday: 10:30-11:30 - Open General Meeting Monday: 5:30 - Open Meeting Thursday: 5:30-6:30 - Open Meeting Location: Behind Pedro’s Surf Shop Contact: Ellen - 2-653-0897 / Steve - 8377-1529
Surviving
C hapter MCCXXV
COSTA RICA
Past: My first experience with the phenomenon known as Christmas was during the 1950s in what was known as the suburbs. Those of you able to remember that far back remember that all moms looked liked June Cleaver from “Leave it to Beaver” and all presidents looked like Dwight Eisenhower. Hair was short, skirts weren’t, and the only thing people had to worry about was the impending threat of nuclear annihilation. Although I’m sure there are others, my strongest memories involve two incidents. The first involved a gigantic plastic wrapped 100-piece “Moon Colony Rocket Center” that had been strategically placed near the checkout counter of the local supermarket, it was the only thing in the world that I really wanted. It was even better than the previous Xmas’s 95-piece “Commando Death Squad Headquarters” that had graced the same locale, which I didn’t get that year either, and instead of my dream toy I only got a “Buck Rogers Saucer Launcher”, a pale replica of the moon base. After ripping open the disappointing present the doorbell rang. Upon checking the “Doorbell and Telephone Answerer” schedule posted by my dad on the kitchen refrigerator I rushed to the door and opened to an even more memorable event. I met Carol. She was about my age and height, and looked pretty much like the rest us, (kids, just YouTube “Leave it to Beaver”). Carol had just moved to our neighborhood that Christmas Day. She wasn’t exactly shy; she brushed past me and made a beeline for the Christmas tree where she picked up my disappointing saucer launcher and immediately broke it. She went on to make both my sisters and my mother cry and ended up drinking most of Uncle Bill’s special eggnog. Carol was not the Christmas guest most people of that era were hoping for. When she left a couple of hours later things returned to normal and I began to wonder if my parents were going to give me a surprise “Special Present” later that night. They didn’t, and we never saw Carol again that year. The suburbs returned to its eternal cycle. If it was winter you got snow which
Christmas Carol
could get you out of school and provided fodder for snowballs, and summer meant no school and probably some camp somewhere. Fall meant back to school, then Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then it’s back to Christmas. The following Christmas I did not receive the 115-piece “Junior Atomic Scientist Experimental Lab”, but that’s another story best left to lovers of sad tales. Sure enough that Christmas morning the doorbell rang and Carol walked in, broke a toy or two and behaved badly, which she did likewise for the next eight years until I moved out of the house and relocated. Present: Bear with me; we’re gonna have to take a little liberty with the “Present” concept. In the mid-1970’s when I was living in Austin, Texas, it was indeed the “present” as it existed back then just as much as “the present” that exists this very moment you’re reading this paragraph. I know, I’m just repeating the oft-slighted Einstein’s Fourth Theorem on the Relativity of Simultaneity so let’s just get back to the “present” of 1977. I was younger then and from what I can remember I wasn’t married and sex had yet to become dangerous and scary, although it was on its way. Christmas for me at that time was just something to wait out. Christmas Day I’d usually find a movie theater running an all day “Jaws” marathon or something similar. On December 25th, 1977, during the second movie of a day-long “Airport” marathon I happened to glance over at the next seat… where sat Carol. It was like nothing had ever happened, she reached into my “Giant Butter Buster Box” managing to spill most of the popcorn and then spilled my chilly 110oz. “Smiley Pale Diet Mountain Dew” in my lap. Apparently she had memorized every line Charlton Heston had ever spoke in the film series and proceeded to speak along with him through the rest of the marathon. After the sixth movie she left me in the theater and I never saw her again. ‘Till next Christmas”. I was playing at a Christmas Day frat party for Psi Ki Delta with a band called Dead Cheese and as we were starting into our fifth rendition of “Taking Care of Business.”
Story by Jesse Bishop (owlhumm@hotmail.com)
Carol walks into the room on the arm with none other than Willie Nelson. They danced magnificently together and I was pleased to see that my once-every-Xmas friend was coming up in the world. Then things turned ugly. After consuming the entire supply of Lone Star Beer a rather inebriated Carol made some disparaging remarks about the Alamo after which she slugged Willie Nelson and ended up leaving with the military attaché from the local Mexican Consulate. I read in the next day’s paper that Carol had been deported to Louisiana. The Future: They say the future is now, and if you share my future you probably live in Costa Rica where Christmas decorations are put up sometime after the beginning of September. I’ve learned over the previous score or two years that it’s easier to go with the flow over Christmas and we are proud owners of a plastic tree, numerous strands of semi-functioning lights, a set of doggy antlers, all products of the CommunistBuddhist county of China. If you can’t fight ‘em, join ‘em! Last Christmas Day the wife and I decided to head to nearby Playa Porno (an unfortunate name for a beach) where we’d heard about a Xmas Dinner Special. It was a little off the beaten path but we made it to “Squatters” (an unfortunate name for a restaurant) in about a halfhour and ordered the dinner special. We counted to sixty and then watched as the chef left through the back door to get to the store. Our table was approached by a group of Mariachis, with a familiar face playing the trumpet. That’s right, it was Christmas Carol, who was not a particularly good trumpet player and ended up eating our breadsticks. This Christmas don’t bother coming over ‘cos we’re not answering the door and if you see a woman playing trumpet run away as fast as you can! Merry Christmas!
House Warming Party Tom Peifer (peifer@racsa.co.cr)
A house is a home when it shelters the body and comforts the soul. Phillip Moffet
B
uilding a house in the tropics has more than a little in common with warfare. Just imagine the full spectrum of ‘blood, toil, tears and sweat’, on location, but in a much hotter arena. Throw in a few torrential downpours, hauling spiny pochote logs out of the nearby jungle, a couple of high-speed trips to the nearby clinic to stop the blood flow and stitch up the inevitable gashes. Prepare for the occasional 7.6 earthquake, power outages, time off for local funerals, guys going AWOL while nursing hangovers or soccer injuries, delays due to the logistical snafus as materials promised on date X arrive on X plus 2 weeks…si Dios quiere. The unforeseen is a daily occurrence, especially on Mondays. Clients seldom really understand that the builder’s job is a modern-day version of armed struggle with a different set of weaponry. We manhandle a bunch of heavy stuff, cut it down, cut it up, shoot holes in it, assemble it all into a preordained design, fasten it together, cover up the goofs and the ugly parts that hold it in one place and in one piece, get paid and move on. Just like a bunch of mercenaries: “Have tools, will travel.” Anything that gets in the way of the process is simply an obstacle on the way to the bigger goal. That category would include, for instance, neighbors who like to sleep, trees or any landscaping that you might have planted or hoped to save, the architect on his occasional visits, surprise visits by regulators or friends and oftentimes, in fact, the clients themselves. When the clients are close friends you can endure something like a civil war or, if you’re fortunate, a ‘peaceful transition to a new order.’ There are a few key elements. In my recent return to the gladiator’s arena, the clients were involved in planning the battle from the outset. It helped that they had established their own chain of command. Ann Marie wore the four stars. Matt was man enough to play the role of
subaltern; offer advice as needed, provide the logistical support in transport, materiel, negotiations with sub-contractors and just help move heavy, dirty stuff when the situation called for it. Ann Marie did the heavy lifting during the planning, called most of the shots as we worked with the architect and made modifications and refinements during the six-month ground assault. Keeping open avenues of communication was key to ensure a steady advance on the ground. The fact that we were all living close to the front lines made it easy to visit for planning, reconnaissance and the occasional case of beer to boost the morale of the troops. Back-up lines of communication included e-mail, FB and telephone text messaging between the clients and myself. Screaming was the fallback option for the chainsaw guy working up in the woods. Texting gave me ‘real time’ contact with the guys in the trenches—and later on the roof—as the struggle entered the decisive phase prior to the downpours of September and October. The impact of getting the roof on in the rainy season makes such a difference in the flexibility of the rest of the job. Troop morale improves because they’re no longer huddled in the bodega—like so many soldiers in foxholes-- waiting for a ceasefire in the atmospheric artillery barrage. With adequate cover, there are plenty of ‘mopping up’ skirmishes with the various interior details and even structural work if you’ve chosen the ‘post and beam’ style of framing. The electrician can hook up power much closer to where the action is occurring. In hindsight, the clients and I had achieved a kind of unconscious consensus on the rules of engagement that definitely made the whole effort run more smoothly. It is worth bearing in mind that construction is a sort of hand-to-hand combat with the laws of physics. You confront or have to prepare for: gravity, friction, density, compaction, tensile strength, shear stress, uplift--and a few others I probably left out--on a daily basis. In the long era before machinery took the place of brawny bodies, the task of moving logs or hand-hewn stone overland was facilitated by literally greasing the skids to lessen friction. As a metaphor, I’ll use ‘greasing the skids’ (continued page 36)
House Warming Party
Bravo, WestJet!
(from page 35)
You are standing on a crowded subway station in Toronto, it’s snowing outside and fifteen below zero, waiting for the crowded train to take you to your crummy office, and this is what you see. Bring ‘em on down! RAIN GAUGE
20 18 16 c 14 12 m 10 8 6 s 4 2 0
RAINFALL - Oct/Nov 2012 Maricle Meteorological Observatory Villarreal de Santa Cruz Total rainfall: 54.5 cm (21.5 inches)
16
20
25
31
5
10
Oct
Nov
Year-to-date 2012: 177.1 cm 2011: 265.8
Rainfall Oct/Nov 2012: 54.5 cm 2011: 53.0
December 2012 ( a l l
t i m e s
l o c a l )
Sun
1st - rise 5:46; set 5:19 15th - rise 5:53; set 5:24 31st - rise 6:01; set 5:32
Last quarter: New: 1st quarter: Full:
Moon
6th 13th 19th 28th
9:31 a.m. 2:42 a.m. 11:19 p.m. 4:21 a.m.
15
to explain our unspoken agreement to deal with the guys on the job as partners in the process, showing respect, gratitude, proffering praise for exceptional performance and avoiding the kind of in-your-face criticism which not only ruffles feathers but sows the seeds of rancor. In these small towns, the wrong words can plant a noxious weed that proves hard to eradicate. In point of fact, we did a fair amount of ‘weed control’ on the weekends using locally available ingredients and showing respect for local customs. Lucky for me, the clients in my latest foray into the virtual combat zone of homebuilding are comfortable in Spanish and in the stress-relieving atmosphere of the local cantinas. As it turns out, it’s far more productive going over both problems and planning with the guys when you are far from the trenches and standing on the level playing field that develops as you trade off the trips to the bar for the next round of frosty libations. Chilling out on the weekends helped us withstand the heat and pressure as our deadline for occupation drew nearer and nearer. And now, admiring the early colors after the first housewarming party, it dawns on me that my own priorities as a homebuilder have changed with time. These days it’s way less about impressing people with the finished product. The emphasis is now upon accommodating people into a space where they can comfortably enjoy the grandeur of the natural world that surrounds us. I fail to comprehend the logic of the huge, hotbox homes and minuscule porches, terraces and outdoor spaces in a climate such as ours. Fortunately I was working with folks who are on the same wavelength. Nothing is more satisfying than a warm ‘thank you’ and a cold beer as your friends/partners/clients recount the joy of lying in bed and gazing in wonder at the starry skies of our long, clear summer nights. Their home provides them with a nest to appreciate the marvels of nature and the celestial dome offers a frequent reminder of our own place, as mere mortals, in the larger scheme of things. Tom Peifer is an ecological land use consultant with 18 years experience in Guanacaste. 2658-8018. peifer@racsa.co.cr El Centro Verde is dedicated to researching and promoting sustainable land use, permaculture and environmentally sound development. http://www.elcentroverde.org/
Surf Report (from page 26)
A frequent member of Costa Rica’s national surf team who has traveled with the group to the International Surfing Association World Surfing Games in many locations, and his skills have helped Costa Rica become one of the top surfing nations in the world. When the call comes, he enjoys being on the national team, because of the sense of unity, the “good vibes” and the ultimate favorable results that occur. One would think that after winning three Costa Rica national championships, Brown would be ready to sit out of competitions and just become a lifestyle surfer for his sponsors Quiksilver, Arenas Surf Shop, Sanuk Shoes, Lost Surfboards, Skullcandy and Manual Gear. But no, that’s not what he has planned, just yet. “I’m here for a long time, so don’t think I’m finished. I’m just starting,” Brown confirms.
That’s all I’ve got. Looking forward to hearing what you think. Keep those emails coming at EllenZoe@aol.com. Send your comments, information, errors or praise, because I can’t do this column without you, the real surfers.
Word puzzle Miscellany
All words from the list below can be found in the word block on the right. Answers may be forward, backward, upwards, downwards and diagonal. antagonist antediluvian avellana balloon empanizada epiglottis hermosa hierarchy innate jerarquia malinche naturalmente mandible nevada ordinary
pendiente peripatetic proletariat provocar rotund similar supercilious terremoto tortuguero totalmente twice unisex united utilizar viejo
1S
2S
3M
4T
5W
6T Last Qtr
04:15 10:26 16:46 22:39 04:53 11:03 17:24 23:19 05:31 11:40 18:03
8.8 0.3 8.4 1.2 8.6 0.5 8.3 1.3 8.4 0.6 8.2
00:00 06:12 12:19 18:44 00:43 06:55 13:00 19:27
1.4 9S 8.1 0.9 8.1 1.5 10M 7.8 1.1 8.0
7F
8S
01:31 07:43 13:46 20:15 02:24 08:37 14:37 21:09 03:22 09:37 15:34 22:07 04:23 10:40 16:35 23:06 05:24 11:42 17:37
1.6 7.5 1.3 8.0 1.7 7.3 1.5 8.1 1.6 7.3 1.5 8.3 1.3 7.5 1.3 8.7 0.9 7.8 1.0
11T
DECEMBER TIDE CHART
12W
13T New Moon 14F
15S
00:04 06:23 12:41 18:37 01:01 07:19 13:37 19:34 01:56 08:13 14:31 20:30 02:49 09:04 15:23 21:24 03:40 09:55 16:14 22:16
9.1 0.4 8.3 0.6 9.6 -0.2 8.8 0.2 10.0 -0.6 9.4 -0.1 10.3 -1.0 9.8 -0.4 10.3 -1.1 10.0 -0.4
16S
17M
18T
19W 1st Qtr 20T
04:32 10:44 17:05 23:09 05:23 11:34 17:57
10.2 21F -1.1 10.0 -0.3 9.9 22S -0.8 9.8
00:02 06:16 12:24 18:49 00:56 07:09 13:16 19:43 01:53 08:05 14:09 20:38
0.0 23S -9.4 -0.3 9.5 0.4 24M 8.8 0.2 9.1 0.9 25T 8.1 0.8 8.6
26W
02:52 09:05 15:05 21:36 03:54 10:08 16:05 22:35 04:57 11:11 17:05 23:32 05:57 12:10 18:03
1.3 7.6 1.4 8.2 1.6 7.2 1.8 8.0 1.7 7.0 2.1 7.9 1.7 7.1 2.1
00:25 06:49 13:03 18:55
8.0 30S 1.5 7.3 2.0
27T
28F Full Moon 29S
01:13 07:34 13:50 19:42 01:57 08:15 14:32 20:25 02:38 08:54 15:11 21:04 03:17 09:30 15:49 21:43 03:55 10:06 16:25 22:21
8.1 1.2 7.5 1.8 8.3 0.9 7.8 1.6 8.5 0.6 8.2 1.3 8.7 0.4 8.4 1.1 8.8 0.2 8.6 0.9
31M
1T Jan 13 2W
3T
4F Last Qtr
04:33 10:41 17:02 22:59 05:10 11:16 17:38 23:37 05:49 11:53 18:16
8.8 0.2 8.7 0.8 8.7 0.2 8.8 0.8 8.5 0.4 8.7
00:18 06:29 12:32 18:56 01:03 07:13 13:15 19:41
0.9 8.2 0.6 8.7 1.0 7.9 0.8 8.6