vida.nueva.aventura - Life in Paradise

Beautiful Waterfall in the Mountains

Me and 18 year old Francisco, a local Indigenous

(Indigenous is what they call Indians, here.)

Five pretty Norwegians I met at the waterfall. They are on a five month trip through Central and South America.

Pura Vida!

Note on the last photo here:
Why would I post this photo of chubby me in a bathing suit? To let you see how happy I am and how much fun I am having, of course! So what if I am a bit chubby? Well, I want to tell you that I have not always felt that way. I have not worn a two piece bathing suit, at home in the States, in years! Here it is different. If you have been to a Latin country you may have noticed that the standards for beauty are different than in the United States. They like some curves on a woman and some meat on the bones, which is convenient since they all eat rice and potatoes every day. Women much heavier than I, go around in bikinis and no one thinks a thing of it. Age is also not such a huge issue as it is back home. There I might be considered “old.” Here I get compliments, every day on the street, from guys of all ages. They are called piropos. I quote from the book The Ticos, Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica by Biesanz, “These flirtatious compliments whispered into a passing woman’s ear fifty years ago are now shouted, often in competition with other males: “Wow what curves and me without brakes!” or to a woman in blue, “So little blue for so much heaven” ........ A San Jose dentist told us that when his middle aged wife feels depressed and worried about losing her looks, she dresses up and goes downtown to harvest piropos, returning home with her self esteem restored.” The degree to which this is done varies with each Latin country. I’m told that in Cuba they guys are outrageous. Here, I have never heard a rude remark. It’s all in fun. It’s all good. Why not enjoy it!

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