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Photo of the Month: |
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This month's edition of the Casa Holanda' s Newsletter might as well be called the education edition. |
| Study Spanish in Costa Rica!
Casa Holanda is located, in some cases within walking distance,
The University of Costa Rica (UCR) is Costa Rica's largest university located in the capital of San Jose, but the second largest, is located right here and it's name is La Universidad Nacional (UNA) or affectionately referred as "La U". UNA has a great Student Exchange Program where students can experience life abroad, make friends with the national students, receive quality education and immerse themselves into the Spanish language. There are other fine language instutitutes in the area too, all worth recommending and each specialize in getting you up and running when comprehending and speaking Spanish. Some even offer cultural classes of Latin dance, cooking, and history. Heredia is a great little college town, not too big and said to be Costa Rica's safest city. Not to mention all those delicious coffee shops available to meet and practice in. So what are you waiting for? Vamos a aprender español en Costa Rica! So I've kept you in suspense for a month now. Our new garden is finished and looks fantastic. Peaceful and meditative, a recycled flow of water gurgles from the fountain, whispering memories of life in the countryside next to the babbling brook.
The fireplace is a perfect spot to sit around and take sips of wine while talking about life or laughing with friends. Lighting brings the garden to life at night, inviting one to sit in the shadows and enjoy either the stars, the full moon; or the pouring, tropical thunderstorm.
Slate stones play an important part, tying the elements of earth, air, water and fire together . The embankments provide seating so you can comfortably take your breakfast outside. And most of all, you can still hear our magical windchimes singing in mountain breezes to accompany your cup of dark, rich coffee. If you're saying, "Oh pleeeese!" by now. This is Costa Rica after all, you'll just have to come and experience our new garden to see for yourself if I'm right. Click here to view more detailed pictures in our photo album of the new garden at Casa Holanda.
Some fruits are so Costa Rican, there simply isn't another name for them. Although they have quite different tastes, I've lumped this month's fruit into one article because actually they are of the same family of fruits called, "Sapotes ." These fruits are indigenous to southern Mexico and Central America, but are cultivated in other places as far as the Phillipines in the Far East. You will not find anyone undecided about their taste, either you like them, or you don't. The purplish fruit above is called Caimito and they have the taste of nothing more than whipped cream and grape Jell-o. The fruit below has the same name as the species, and is called Zapote. To me, it has the taste of pumpkin pie and for something different can be mixed into ice cream. It's not a very attractive fruit on the outside, but its splendor shines when cut open. This orange-fleshed fruit below has been the subject of many paintings for its striking color and beautiful mahogany seed . Actually there is many a town in Costa Rica called Zapote, probably the best-known is where the National DMV resides on the edge of San Jose.
Caimitos come into season around February and March, while it's cousin, the Zapote , comes into fruit more in November and December. Cuarteto UNA to Present a Concert at Casa Holanda this May 27th.
A new, professional string quartet has come into existence, and is performing at Casa Holanda this coming Sunday, May 27th. On the program will be the Franz Schubert String Quintet by adding an extra cello artist, which I had a chance to hear them rehearse. In such a varied piece as that one, these musicians glide effortlessly between beautiful singing and passionate, rhythmic passages, each adding surprising nuances that can only be a artist's interpretation. Attendees will be in for a real treat this May. Cuarteto UNA is sponsored by Costa Rica's Universidad Nacional , which is located
right here in Heredia. Costa Rican Birds: The Yigüirro
The weather in 2006 was very different from 2007 here. This year, at the end of March the rains returned without the birds squawking to call it back. Although the Kiskadees have gone to another location temporarily, during this time of year, the beautiful song of the Yigüirro echoes throughout Heredia. It is a type of robin and is the national bird of Costa Rica. Other names are the Tardus Gray and Clay-colored Robin . They love to visit the garden here at Casa Holanda to bathe in the fountain, snatch seeds from our palm trees, gather herbs from the garden to scent their nests, or sing while perched on the wires. From what I've noticed, it is a bird with a feisty personality, but very wary of humans and when it senses your presence will suddenly fly away. How well I know they also love to peck at the windows early in the morning or during cloudy days, thinking that their own reflection is a competitor. That is the reason we have the plastic hummingbirds with the propeller wings on our windows. It is a enivronmentally friendly deterrent of keeping birds from either crashing into the windows or pecking at them. Check
often at the website to keep up-to-date, and if we don't see you, please tell your friends about us.
Chao! James 
"Casa Holanda" You
have been included on this e-mail because you have some connection |
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*All photos in this newsletter are original and property of
Casa Holanda.
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*+Photos of Cuarteto UNA were provided by the group.