Museo de Los Niños

Children's Museum!!


The second to last Friday of my intensive Spanish class, us and one other class went on a field trip to the children's museum! (How lucky, right? In Costa Rica, they might say ¡Qué lechera!) We took a small bus that fit exactly the number of students in both classes and our professors (about 26 total).  The main objective was to collect information for a presentation we would give the final Friday of class. My group's topic was..El Banano y El Tren- The history, production, transportation, and use of the Costa Rican banana, which if you didn't know, are ranked as the best bananas in the world as far as quality and taste. Only Ecuador beats Costa Rica in the exportation of more bananas per year. Also on our way to the museum, we were told there was a surprise, but we weren't going to find out until we got there.

If getting giddy and excited over a surprise wasn't enough to make us feel like a kid again, the museum itself definitely did.

As you can see, the museum is shaped like a castle, perfect for kids right? Well, the crazy things about this building, is that at one point in history it was a prison. But you could never tell now, it looks like a dream and adventure land to kids! (and me...and the other college students and professors that went on our field trip)

Here we have a paper airplane slide. Keep looking at the pictures! This was one of the most fun museums I have been to! We didn't even get to see all of it either. I heard that have an inclined house among many other fun displays and interactive rooms.

This was really fun! Story time was led by this museum tour guide who leaned up against a small wall of mirrors. So his "right" side of his body that you see, is the reflection in the mirror. It looked so silly! I know I enjoyed it just as much as the kids.

In the room where we had to do research about the banana and the train, there was this banana shaped foosball table, and the players were diseases vs. the good bugs (natural biological control, right? Is that what you call it? ) that you can find in the banana plantations.

Here's a quick view of the players in the foosball game.

This long dark hallway lit up from one end to the other nonstop in bright neon colors- so much fun!

Learning how to brush my teeth...

A view inside the mouth! We thought it was a great space to sit and chat.

This is the tongue and its taste buds! I like how they include coffee, a lemon and an orange.

SuperIntelligente= The WalMart Look Alike

Here is their reading area, unfortunately, that day it was closed. But no worries. I definitely plan on going back! "Había una vez...," it says. "Once upon a time...."

Can you imagine if every bookstore looked this? Or every library? Or every classroom?! That in itself would create such a welcoming, exciting environment for kids!

A mini-sized WalMart for the kiddies to learn how to shop smart!

Practicing good shopping habits...

Three of us were in this room flying in the flight simluator cars (obviously made for young children, not college students..) But in we went anyways! The door was behind us. A little later on, in walked some museum tour guides with a group of about 30 kids and we turned around as they looked in on us sitting in the planes, waiting for their chance to have a turn. It was more of a..."we caught you!" moment. (¡Les pescamos!)

This picture I took for my own good- I think I'm going to have to remember these ideas if I become a teacher! These below are made from a half of a plastic gallon milk jug, yarn, bottle caps, pop can lids, and pom poms, how fun!

This display reminded me a lot of my grandpa Fred because even when I was really little we would paint together at his apartment and our favorite thing to paint was on rocks. He was a very good painter, hand painting every piece with care and perfection!

A little photo to show a cultural piece of Costa Rica. I've seen this pretty often. I don't know who the objects belong to, but often at cash registers, I have seen pictures of family members, rosaries, statues of Jesus of Mary, and other religious items. And they are usually on display more for the customer rather than the worker. I guess it could mean a lot of things, but a reminder to the workers who they are working for, to remember their faith and their family members. I don't know, but I like it!

And our surprise of our field trip was...a RACE!

Each class numbered off, so we were paired with another student from the other class. We were given a list of six questions of facts about Costa Rica in which the answers were scattered throughout all the rooms of the museum. Whoever was first to find the answers, obtain the signature from the worker of the room, and return first to the cafeteria to the professors won a prize! I was paired with Vincenzo...a good Italian...and our strategy was to start from the back and work our way to the front.  We looked at our map and wrote down all the numbers of the rooms near the question.

We lined up at the entrance of the museum, all 24 or so of us. And my professor counted to three "1....2....3!" And we had to literally, SPRINT, through the museum! So much fun!!! We were sweaty.

...And we won!!

So we got a little goody bags of treats and Costa Rican candy. This is going to last me for the rest of my trip...sweet!

La Playa de Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio, I have heard from many Ticos, has some of the prettiest beaches. You can see for yourself!

 I think it's a world wide known rule that at every beach you go to, you need to pick up some cool shells and rocks. Rebecca warned us though that if we were caught with shells and rocks, they were going to take them from us because we can not taken them out of the park. Trisha, Danielle, and I walked around the beaches, picking up rocks anyways. We walked from one beach to the other with a big handful, and were so worried that when we walked past a few park rangers, they were going to stop us right then and there to confiscate our contraband. We avoided eye contact and nothing was said to us.
     
They didn't take anything. So we kept walking. However, we were planning ahead of how and where we were going to smuggle our shells, wondering if we would be frisked (Goodness, we hope not!) or if our bags would be searched. On our walk to the other beach, we began stuffing our swimsuits with as many rocks and shells we could that wouldn't add bulk. Thank goodness for curves. We added to both top and bottom swimsuit pieces. We then went to wash off the remaining rocks. And got nervous when another park ranger came walking our way. It was obvious he was coming for us because we were the only ones on the beach.

First, he told Danielle that we had to leave in 10 minutes, then told her that he wanted to speak with us.  In a sneaky exchange I still don't even know exactly how it happened, Trisha passed off her shells to Danielle and got a few 'throw-aways' taken away from her. When I walked up to him, he only holds out his hand palm up and says "Deme." (Give me.) I felt a little defeated that so easily he took away my treasures which included the biggest shell any of us had seen, and pink, and green colored shells.

But what he DIDN'T find was my collection of my favorites in my swimsuit. NOR the large rock that I smuggled out under my brand new sun hat sitting on the top of my head as we walked out. No, we were not frisked, and no, our bags weren't searched. But we figured those first two park rangers had called the other one to come take our shells. So at least we had a small something to give him so he could feel like he took all of them. I've never stolen anything in my life, but goodness, I felt like a pro. It was only nature, right? I promise, mom and dad, I will never do it again.

 I'm so glad I chose to come to Costa Rica, I mean, Where else in the world can you go "snorking"?


This heart shaped leaf was something else I was going to smuggle out, but I chickened out. I put it on display instead at the exit gate to cheer up everyone else's day. When we returned a few hours later when I had enough guts to roll it up and put it in my swimsuit, it was gone. At least I have these pictures....

 Us silly tourists, thought the only way to cross this 20 feet of water which doesn't get deeper than 3 feet, was to get in these boats provided. It was literally 20 feet and a 5 second boat ride, and we tipped them with some small coins, laughed about how exciting our boat ride was and realized later that day there is also a path to walk around. Well....when in Costa Rica, always say "yes!", right? Never turn down an adventure. Here is a picture of us getting in the boats, and just as quickly here is the other picture to show us getting out. You can see the other side behind us where we left the shore AND you can see Ashley standing in the water. Hahahaha....

 We, about six of us, stopped at an Italian restaurant on the beach. We found it a little difficult to understand the man at the cash register, and I had only guessed it was because his native language is Italian. When he brought out our food, I asked him, in Spanish, if he spoke Italian. He responded yes and began speaking in Italian to me. I was able to understand enough where I could gather what he was telling and asking me. And I began telling him that I was Italian and my mother's parents were from Italy (even though I believe it was great-grandparents..? I need to learn the correct story, Mom!)

I told him my grandmother was from Abruzzo and I was able to hear him pronounce it, and tell me that he believes it is the most beautiful country in the world. He told me he came to Costa Rica three years ago, and he is returning to Milano, where he is from and is not sure if he is returning to Costa Rica. He has this business in Costa Rica, but business in the wet season is slow, he is only open on the weekends and I felt that he was just missing home. He told me he is leaving at the end of October. When we left the restaurant, we said goodbye and he kissed my hand! I think finding another Italian in Costa Rica was really something special to find! (Not that it's rare, but just nice!)

Another thing that reminded me of home, was this miniature schnauzer!! I have never seen dogs like this in Costa Rica. Most of the time, they are all mixed breeds. Miniature schnauzer may be mixed breed as well (is that how you get the "mini" in miniature schnauzer?) but it was exciting to see a Meggie. Unfortunately, it was NOT friendly.

This is a picture of Costa Rica's version of Nutella. (Wow I didn't realize how much this weekend reminded me of home!) Costa Rica does have nutella, but here is Nutkao. I tried some, delicious!
Kiersten had this all to herself! She loves chocolate more than anyone I know. And she remains to be a  tiny little lady!

 On the way home we stopped at Pacific Bungee. I didn't do it. I considered it, and after I saw everybody do it, I am still considering trying it some day, but that day, just wasn't the nicest day either. Rain, and I heard it was cold up there. And they offered you the chance to do a "water touch" which if I would've gone, I would've done. But it was so cold that I don't think it would've been enjoyable. I heard the view from the top is beautiful, though. I found a video on YouTube of Esteban, someone in the international department at Veritas, receiving enough votes from students that he go to Pacific Bungee. So if you want to see the view at the top of the jump and watch what it's like: Click for the Video: ESTEBAN FINALLY JUMPED

 After picture of everyone who jumped! They lived!

Me and Danielle. After the weekend.