Costa Rica 2006

PURA VIDA

2007-01-09T10:22:00.000+01:00

Hi everybody ! Todo bien ?

Here is my blog about my trip in Costa Rica during 3 months. I put all the nicest pictures I did with some explanations (sometimes necessary). Enjoy it !

Pura Vida

Mi casa tica

2007-01-09T10:14:00.000+01:00

Mi home in Costa Rica

Mi casa tica

2007-01-09T10:02:00.000+01:00

Here is Maria, mi mama tica. She's a really lovely mama. I was really lucky to have Maria as a hostmother. She's a housemaker and so was at home most of the time. That was a really good thing for my spanish to have always someone around to speak to. Every morning I had my mix of fruits (pineapple,banana,mango,papaya...), she was cleaning my clothes every day and had always some rice and beans ready for me.

Mi casa tica

2007-01-08T01:06:00.000+01:00

Here is Iris with Maria. Iris came at the same time in the family but just for 1 week. It was nice not to be alone at the beginning. The first hours and days in the family were a little bit strange for me. I was a beginner in spanish and didn't understand anything at all. Hopefully for me, Iris was already speaking spanish and could translate some things for me.

Mi casa tica

2007-01-08T01:04:00.000+01:00

Cedros, my hood

Mi casa tica

2007-01-07T20:42:00.000+01:00

My room

Mi casa tica

2007-01-07T20:38:00.000+01:00

Micky, nasty dog !!

Mi casa tica

2007-01-07T20:35:00.000+01:00

My street

The school

2007-01-07T14:32:00.000+01:00

This the CRLA (Costa Rican Language Academy). It's kind of a private school for foreign students. Most of the students are staying between 1 and 6 weeks, sometimes more. I went 8 weeks. First 5 weeks then I came back for 3 more weeks. We had class from Monday to thursday (5 hours a day) so we could travel during 3 days.

Probably the best school ever: good teachers, nice personal, a nice cafetaria. We had a lot of advantages : computers room, free cooking, dancing and conversation class. It was situated In San Pedro, a quiet neighbourhood. There was a lot of students but not too much neither. A lot of them were from Germany (I can still hear them in my head, Ach zooooooo !!!), the others came from Holland, Switzerland, Japan,United States (gringoooooos),Belgium...It was a rich experience to meet so many people from others countries.

And thanks to the school, I'm speaking spanish now, well I think so.

The school

2007-01-07T14:22:00.000+01:00

This is Sergio, my first teacher. I was in his class during 5 weeks. He's a really good teacher if you ask me. He can draw really well and it helped a lot for translation of words. We did some interesting activities: interviews of students about their life at the university, interview of people about their religion in Costa Rica...and a lot of homeworks

The school

2007-01-07T14:18:00.000+01:00

This Janina from Germany. She was in Sergio's class during the 5 weeks with me. Right now she's somewhere in Australia.

The school

2007-01-07T14:15:00.000+01:00

the class

The school

2007-01-07T03:31:00.000+01:00

The personal

The school

2007-01-07T03:28:00.000+01:00

Lunch time

The school

2007-01-07T03:18:00.000+01:00

This is Jana and Keylor. Keylor was my teacher for 2 weeks when I came back at school. I had a lot of fun with them ! Talking about everything and nothing in class. The better way to learn a language, i think. Jana, from Stuggart, was already in the class before and left it just one week after I came.

The school

2007-01-07T03:16:00.000+01:00

Fresh Orange juice guy in front of the entrance

The school

2007-01-07T03:13:00.000+01:00

The school

2007-01-07T03:09:00.000+01:00

Don Geraldo ( security) and Dona Isabel (cleaning)

San José

2007-01-07T02:56:00.000+01:00

San Jose is the capital of CR. Living in San Jose was quiet okay. It's not really beautiful but not totally bad neither. There is a lot of pollution, garbage and noise from the traffic. The people are like in every big city...Some violence and poverty here and there but less that I expected. But life in San Jose was good, thanks to the school, the family and the parties. The really really really nice thing is the bus. The bus are cheap but drive until 10/11pm. After that you had to take a taxi. They weren't expensive but the drivers weren't honest all the time ! Bastards ! Give my money back !

San José

2007-01-07T02:55:00.000+01:00

Avenida Central

San José

2007-01-07T02:45:00.000+01:00

Big Mama statue

San José

2007-01-07T02:43:00.000+01:00

San José

2007-01-07T02:32:00.000+01:00

Ticos discussing

San José

2007-01-07T02:29:00.000+01:00

Mariposas garden

San José

2007-01-07T02:27:00.000+01:00

San José

2007-01-07T02:25:00.000+01:00

Stop doing my finger

San José

2007-01-07T02:20:00.000+01:00

I realized one of my dreams, having a tattoo (the chinese symbol of peace). It didn't hurt that much, really, everybody should try !!!!

San José

2007-01-07T02:16:00.000+01:00

The needle

San José

2007-01-07T02:14:00.000+01:00

OUCHHHHH

San José

2007-01-07T02:13:00.000+01:00

PEACE !

San José

2007-01-07T02:11:00.000+01:00

After I had a some real pain, Paul and Thomas had some piercing in the ears...pussssies

San José

2007-01-07T02:09:00.000+01:00

Wanker

San José

2007-01-07T02:04:00.000+01:00

The wall of the revolution

San José

2007-01-07T02:03:00.000+01:00

Football Game, Saprissa-Puntarenas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwWMh2krsp0

San José

2007-01-07T02:01:00.000+01:00

The Mall San Pedro

San José

2007-01-07T01:57:00.000+01:00

Quiznos Sub, my 2nd home

El Pueblo

2007-01-06T20:19:00.000+01:00

Popular place in San José to party. It's a shopping center the day and the night, it's a party center. A lot of bars and clubs with reggeaton everywhere and cheap alcohol. And really good cheap pizza too.

Video of a typical club at el pueblo :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrC-jknSP4w

El Pueblo

2007-01-06T20:17:00.000+01:00

Twister

El Pueblo

2007-01-06T20:15:00.000+01:00

El Pueblo

2007-01-06T20:07:00.000+01:00

Jan & Isabel

El Pueblo

2007-01-06T20:06:00.000+01:00

Julia and a drug dealer

Castro's

2007-01-06T20:01:00.000+01:00

One of the most popular place in San Jose. We went there for Leonie's birthday. Best place if you can dance salsa, cumbia or merengue.

Castro's

2007-01-06T20:00:00.000+01:00

Leonie

Castro's

2007-01-06T19:59:00.000+01:00

Castro's

2007-01-06T19:58:00.000+01:00

Princess Jose Pablo

Castro's

2007-01-06T19:57:00.000+01:00

Randi

Castro's

2007-01-06T19:55:00.000+01:00

Karaoke

Castro's

2007-01-06T19:54:00.001+01:00

Jazz Café

2007-01-06T19:51:00.000+01:00

This is the Jazz Cafe. I went there a few times at the begining. Really nice live music every day.

Jazz Café

2007-01-06T19:47:00.000+01:00

Concert of Sasha Campbell, soul singer from Costa Rica.

Jazz Café

2007-01-06T19:45:00.000+01:00

Bored ??

Jazz Café

2007-01-06T19:44:00.000+01:00

Jazz Café

2007-01-06T19:43:00.000+01:00

Jazz Café

2007-01-06T19:36:00.000+01:00

Fuzion

2007-01-06T02:50:00.000+01:00

Fuzion Bar, nicest bar of SJ in the Mall San Pedro.

Party's

2007-01-06T02:49:00.001+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:47:00.002+01:00

Mirco

Party's

2007-01-06T02:47:00.001+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:45:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:44:00.000+01:00

Cuba Libreeeeeee

Party's

2007-01-06T02:43:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:42:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:40:00.000+01:00

Bullebak

Party's

2007-01-06T02:38:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:37:00.000+01:00

Nasty faces

Party's

2007-01-06T02:35:00.000+01:00

Una tequila muchacha

Party's

2007-01-06T02:33:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:31:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:30:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:27:00.000+01:00

The dushbags are having fun

Party's

2007-01-06T02:26:00.000+01:00

Party's

2007-01-06T02:24:00.000+01:00

Curly & Mo'fo

Arenal

2007-01-06T02:19:00.000+01:00

My first trip in Costa Rica ! It's probably the most famous Volcano in the country because it's still in activity. So with some others students we wanted to see it. First, we visited the great park of Arenal. After that we had a nice view on the volcano and even could see some lava. Then we chilled in the hot springs. The next day we tried the canopy in the forest...

Arenal

2007-01-06T02:13:00.000+01:00

The hot springs.

Arenal

2007-01-06T02:06:00.000+01:00

The next day, me, Petter, Iris, Anna & Annika went together for some Canopy in the forest. Canopy is the descent on a cable fixed between 2 high trees. The longest ride, i think, was +/- 1/2 miles long. A lot of sensation guaranteed !

Arenal

2007-01-06T02:05:00.000+01:00

Iris

Arenal

2007-01-06T01:56:00.000+01:00

The Flying Viking

Arenal

2007-01-06T01:45:00.000+01:00

Don't get stucked in the middle

Arenal

2007-01-06T01:33:00.000+01:00

Arenal

2007-01-06T01:24:00.000+01:00

Annika

Arenal

2007-01-05T23:09:00.000+01:00

Cahuita

2007-01-05T23:03:00.000+01:00

The next week-end, I went to Cahuita and the next day to Puerto Viejo, situated in the south of the Carabian side.

Cahuita

2007-01-05T23:01:00.000+01:00

hey monkey, we can see your balls

Puerto Viejo

2007-01-05T22:54:00.000+01:00

This is Puerto Viejo, next city after Cahuita. There is a different atmosphere there than in other Costarican cities. The majority of the people have Jamaican origin. It's a real "rastafari" ambiance. with a lot of reggea sounds in the streets. One Love !

Puerto Viejo

2007-01-05T22:51:00.000+01:00

BE HAPPY

Puerto Viejo

2007-01-05T22:49:00.000+01:00

Tortugero

2007-01-05T18:26:00.000+01:00

For the 3th w-e, I went to Tortugero with 7 others students. Tortugero is a place on the north of the carabian side of CR. The trip was long because it's not accesible by bus, only by boat like this one. But it was really a nice place. There is no car, it's really quiet. We paid 25 $ for a package: the release of baby turtles, observation of some big turtles at night and a visit of the park on kayaks.

Tortugero

2007-01-05T18:18:00.000+01:00

Here is Petter !!! He's from Norway, no doubt about it. Real viking head !! At first I thought he was a Hell's Angel or something...But nooooo ! One of the first person I really sympatized with. He's a big traveller and left Costa Rica for Isla Margarita, Venezuela.He went there to buy some appartments and to practice his salsa moves. Lucky Pettey !!

Tortugero

2007-01-05T18:16:00.000+01:00

A crocodile

Tortugero

2007-01-05T18:12:00.000+01:00

This Jan from Antwerp, Belgium. One of the few belgian i met in Costa Rica. After school, he abandonned us and went travelling in South America and is still there, lucky bastard !

Tortugero

2007-01-05T18:10:00.000+01:00

Video of our guide speaking...Loche !! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlOaXTXHDs4

Tortugero

2007-01-05T16:47:00.000+01:00

Tortugitas

Tortugero

2007-01-05T16:45:00.000+01:00

Don't look happy

Tortugero

2007-01-05T16:42:00.000+01:00

Goodbyyye

Tortugero

2007-01-05T12:07:00.001+01:00

Tortugero

2007-01-05T12:05:00.000+01:00

Viking warrior

Tortugero

2007-01-05T12:03:00.000+01:00

Tortugero

2007-01-05T12:02:00.000+01:00

Ticotito

Tortugero

2007-01-05T11:58:00.000+01:00

Humming Bird (colibri)

Tortugero

2007-01-05T11:56:00.000+01:00

Petey