I'm so happy that we have new neighbors that moved on our ridge a couple of months ago. AND, they are from the Bay Area. As a matter of fact they lived fairly close to where I lived for about 10 yrs.
With many of the expats here, usually the biggest commonality is that we come from the US, but in this case it is even better because in addition to being from the same country, we are from the same local area and they live close enough for us to walk to their house (very important since we have no car).
Anyway, yesterday they walked over to our house (which was an easy (?) 40 minute walk (for them) - we have not tried it yet) and we decided to go up to Isabel's (the restaurant where we have our Friday happy hour) and have breakfast.
The place was full because there is another group of expats who go there for Sunday breakfast after their church service.
At any rate -- we loved the breakfast!! The pancakes were the best I've had in Costa Rica and Isabel serves US style bacon (for any of you who still eat bacon). Costa Rican bacon (tocineta) is not the same, not sure why, and nothing against the local food, which we eat most of the time --
but sometimes it's just nice to have food you are used to and also get to speak English 😁
enjoying a caramel latte @ Isabel's
After breakfast, we went back to their house (in the rental car my brother drove down from Tamarindo) and Kate gave us a tour of their garden. Gardens are quite the thing here since so many of us have lots of yard and beautiful views.
Her hubby is a coffee expert (they are also growing coffee on their land and roasting it themselves) He made espresso for us and we chatted on their patio for a while.
We had a beautiful Sunday!!
Kate picked some of her gorgeous hydrangeas and gave them to me to take home along with some yucca.
(I actually had enough for 3 separate flower arrangements)
Thanks Kate because the hydrangeas in our yard are pretty pitiful - I must say!!
If you live in the cooler regions of Costa Rica you will see plenty of hydrangea flowers (Hydrangea macrophylla).
Originally from Japan, (the Spanish name is Hortencia). Hydrangea is common in the highlands of Costa Rica (we are at 4,200 ft). The shrubs are everywhere around our neighborhood with their large inflorescences of blue, pink or white flowers with coarse green leaves. If you look closely at the center of each flower, you will notice miniature flowers with petals, stamens and pistils. What looks like large showy petals of each flower are actually calyces (the sepals of a flower collectively, forming the outer floral envelope that protects the developing flower)
The root is considered a useful botanical tonic for the kidneys and bladder. However, the buds and young leaves are toxic.
In Costa Rica, hydrangea blossoms are most commonly blue, but interestingly enough, the blossoms change color depending on the soil. In acidic soils, the flowers are blue. In alkaline soils, they’re pink. White flowers indicate the soil is neutral.
