www.CostaRicaTicas.com

RBC, did you happen to buy the book at the church? It's funny, you can take a ramp down to a lower level outside the church where they have a gift shop. Not a place where you can walk in and look around. More like a souvenier stand. Many different items including "holy water." Many people bring in containers and fill them with the "holy water." Cost is almost nothing.

dapanz1

I did buy the book. When I visited there was a cute chica selling them out front so just couldn't resist. Actually has some very nice pictures. rbc100

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In Search of Fine Kittens,
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A tidbit.."nearly all Catholic churches in Costa Rica face to the west, a handy thing to know. An old trick Costa Ricans often use for finding the four compass points may make it easier for you to get your bearings straight. Many addresses in CR are based on distances and direction from those churches."

Thanks Pachuco for that information. I knew this to be true and in fact commented on it in another post, but it's good to be reminded.

Churches are built not so much with the entrance facing west, but the altar facing east. This meant that the early morning sun rose behind the Cross, dazzling the worshippers, the halo of Almighty God Himself. Those Catholics weren't dumb. Great lighting effect.

This orientation isn't true only for Costa Rica but is true the world over.

Catholic churches built after 1900 were often not built with this orientation.

Also worth noting in Costa Rica is that many towns are built on the same type grid system as San Jose, calles running north-south, avenidas running east-west, odd numbered avenidas north of the x axis and even to the south, etc. Many of these towns have a church as the central reference point for the town. Find the church, you'll find everything else.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

My bearings MIGHT be off but, I think the church in Cartago is the exact opposite. But, seriously, I might have my bearings off on this one. If someone knows, please correct me.

dapanz1

Coincidentally:

http://www.amcostarica.com/morenews2.htm

2 MILLION! Wow, a local told me a million but I figured he was exaggerating, guess not. What a remarkable event, (considering I know people here in the states too lazy to walk their fat asses out to the car and drive to church.)

I've been to that church several times. The gift shop IS a place to walk in and look around. At least the shop I was in was like that. It was located
outside the church, down a ramp. They have a lot of souvenirs and/or
religious items. Dapanz1...were you drunk when you were there? I know we're talking about the same place.
Also, I'm quite sure the main entrance of the church faces west. Just outside the main entrance is the huge open area with benches, etc.
I have many photos of the church and surrounding area. One of my ex-novias lived in Cartago, so I know the area well.

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"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

GT..as I said, I might have had my bearings off on the way the church was situated. Definately the same church. As for the souveniers, I remember it as a place where you would walk up to the window, look at what you want and then pay. Not someplace you can walk inside. I am 100% about that. Just to the right hand side of the window is where you fill your bottle with the holy water. I think 150 colones. I also know Cartago very well. I have undoubtedly spent more time in Cartago than San Jose.

dapanz1

You wouldn't want to put $20 on that would you? When I was last there,
about three years ago, you could walk inside like a regular gift shop.
They had many many items such as crosses, jewelry, reading material, postcards, beads, etc, It was located on the south side of the church, down that ramp. I remember it well, because one time my ex-novia left her cell phone on the glass counter, and we went back about 15 minutes later to pick it up. Maybe they tore it down within the past three years? If it wasn't located just outside the church, it was certainly located within 20 or 30 yards of it.
By the way, a great place to watch the chicas is from the Burger King on the south side of the 'Ruins' park!

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"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

Kind of hard to believe when the total population of the country is only a little over 4 million. But then the facts have never discouraged AM CostaRica from printing their version of a story

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I've heard or read that some people make the pilgrimmage from San Jose to Cartago by CRAWLING. Incredible.

_________________
"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

Dapanz1...regarding the souvenir/gift shop, I think both of us may be right!

_________________
"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

The place I remember was not a walk-in shop. Just a counter. Kind of like a concession stand. Might be another I am unaware of seeing.

I hear that many people can be seen today making the pilgrimage to Cartago.

dapanz1

What kind of success has church produced? Not accounting for the prayers... Just talking about getting local non-pro's in the praying position?