Life in Puntarenas

I thought I would give a bit more of a description of the place I am living. I have already said that it is a beautiful and very tropical place, and that my favorite thing about Costa Rica is their colors. It rains often, and it rains hard. Just today we had what I would call a flash flood. Water leaked into my room and trickled down the wall as the thunder boomed outside. My family hurried around trying to control the water that was seeping in through the walls. Normally, a roof could keep out any water, but my guess is the earthquakes make tiny cracks that cause the leaks. Yesterday I felt my first earthquake. I was sitting on my bed and suddenly felt my bed being moved around. It felt like someone had taken hold of my headboard and was trying to shake it. I then saw the walls moving ever so slightly, like the feeling you get when you are really dizzy. It lasted for about 8 or 10 seconds and then was gone. It was definitely scary, but fascinating at the same time. It is amazing how fragile we are in comparison to the forces of the earth. Speaking of forces of the earth, on Sunday a group of us went to a place called Montezuma. It had white beaches, deep blue water and dark gray boulders that outlined the shore. We hiked up a river trail to enjoy the splendor of their waterfalls. It was absolutely gorgeous. The hike was difficult, but totally worth it!
Drivers here are fast, and do not like pedestrians. Pedestrians MUST yield to the cars. Sometimes I think drivers enjoy getting as close to a pedestrian as possible if they are anywhere near the road. I wonder if it is a way to warn them off. There are pipes under the sidewalk that are for draining water and I think I've finally discovered what lives in them. A couple times I have spotted a creature going into a pipe right as I walk by but I could never tell if it was a rat or a lizard. Today, I saw a VERY LARGE lizard (about 18") walking around on a sidewalk and I think it is my culprit. The flowers on the sidewalks are brilliant colors, and there are so many kinds. They are the highlight of my walk to school.
I have learned that the best bug killer is a flip-flop. There are many ants in the homes due to the openness of them, so it is a bad idea to leave any food sitting out. So far, I have only had to kill a couple larger bugs in my room. Here, drinking and driving is legal. The regulation is that you must be under a certain percentage which usually means only one or two beers. People can also walk around the town with open containers no problem. This law is interesting to me, and must be working out fine because I have not heard of any problems with it.
We eat A LOT of pinto (beans and rice)! I also have on a regular basis maduro, which is a yellow plantain larger than a banana. I have tried a traditional Costa Rican drink called horchata, which is made from rice and peanuts. It is pretty good! I have also been eating a lot of avacados, which I don't mind at all because I think they are very good. They are used to put in soups and used as just a side to any meal. My host family has also made some very good soups made with lots of vegetables. Most of the people in the neighborhoods are friendly and will smile and greet me as I walk by, which is really refreshing. The picture above is of Maria Pia and Maria Paula. They are quite the cuties!
So, that is all for tonight, now you've had a taste of Costa Rica!