A Photo Tour of El Centro

Most towns in Costa Rica have a centrally located Catholic church in front of a park or soccer field. Here Jocelynne is standing across the street from Turrialba's Catholic church, bordered on the left by her elementary school. People pop in and out on their way to work or shopping, and many cross themselves if they walk past the church on the street.

I'm standing in front of Jocelynne's school in my usual get-up: fanny pack for essentials, Baby Bjorn for carrying my 20-pound Logan, and rolling bag for all the pineapples and papayas I bring home. The hat is to keep the tropical sun from beating me up too badly.

Across the street from the church and school is the Turrialba Park. Venders sell bubbles, coloring books, snow cone-like treats, and plantain chips. Every first weekend of the month there's music and people bring their recyclables to a big truck, which is encouraging to see as there isn't enough conservation here. Just last month I watched a worker walk to the side of his shop and dump garbage into the river.

Every day there's a mob at the front gates when school lets out. I usually just retreat to the back and stand on my tip-toes, waiting for the guard (the man in orange) to see me and shoo Joss through the gate.

Tristan found Daddy's galoshes and, despite what his shirt purports, I think he's rather pleased with his ensemble.

The kids.

The girls got invited to another birthday party. This time, we arrived an hour late because we were detained in town. Our timing, it turned out, was just about right. Chloe was timid with the pinata, and it seemed like the woman maneuvering it was trying to run the thing into Chloe's stick to help her out.

Joss was more aggressive with her whacks.

Joss and Chloe with their friend Valeri, who is from Ecuador and lives in a neighboring apartment complex.

While cooling off in the pool, Logan discovered the joy of drinking from the spigot.

(picture from http://foodwanderings.blogspot.com/2011/01/machi-fish-curry-with-lemons-and-411-on.html)

While at the fish market last week, Chloe saw fish steaks like these and said with big eyes, "Mommy, is that butterfly meat?"