Sure, piña means pineapple in Costa Rica, but it has a very different use as well. If you go to some rural fiestas in Costa Rica you can almost always buy tamales. They'll come in pairs, the two tamales wrapped together with twine. This is una piña de tamales.
I learned this one the hard way. I was at some fiestas and ordered a tamal. The server asked me if I wanted a "piña". After giving her my best look of disbelief I repeated that I wanted un tamal. After realizing why I was confused, she explained to me that tamales are usually served in piñas, or pairs of tamales.
Man, did I feel zampaguavas!
Costa Rica
These are some photogenic chanchitos on my farm. In Costa Rica, 'chanchos' can also refer to 'las nalgas' of a woman. I once asked someone why this is and he responded, "porque los alimentan con plátanos." Let me know if you can figure that one out. ;)
Costa Rica
Have you ever seen two rainbows at once? Well, you betta go yoself to Costa Rica, because I've seen this twice thanks to the país muy chiquitico. This picture was taken from a car in the province of Guanacaste.
Costa Rica
This is a young Guanacaste tree in the tree nursery of the Santa Fe Women's Group. The Guanacaste, a tree that spreads out wider several times more than it does tall, is Costa Rica's national tree. Even though these trees are quite beautiful, farmers often chop them down because they take up too much space on the farm and limit the amount of open grazing area. Nonetheless, Costa Rican cattle farmers usually keep at least one of these trees on any large farm.
Costa Rica
This is Rio Celeste (Light Blue River), one of Costa Rica's finest natural wonders. The minerals from the Tenorio Volcano rise up to mix with the water and turn it blue. The spot where this chemical reaction takes place is called "los teñideros", literally "the dyers" in English. On a trip to Rio Celeste you can also hike to one of Costa Rica's finest waterfalls.
Costa Rica
This is the Arenal Volcano, Central America's most active volcano. It's conical perfection is quite breathtaking and its numerous hot springs baths are very relaxing.
Costa Rica
These are fence posts made of tree branches. These branches continue to grow after they're planted into the ground. In rural Costa Rica this is a very common practice, as regular lumber and cement are hard to come by.
Costa Rica
This is a pony (portranco) running with his mother (female horse is yegua).
Costa Rica
This is doña Felipa, the old lady in Caño Ciego de los Chiles who is pushing 100 years old. (She can't say for sure how old she is.) She walks several kilometers each day between different rural towns. She even takes to the fields to 'volar machete' when she has to. She can't weigh any more than 60 lbs., but she's one tough lady.
Costa Rica
Flor de la granda, the flower of that blossoms from the granada plant, from which hangs a huge, soft fruit. It's the shape of a watermelon and the size of a canteloupe.
Costa Rica
This is a cow in rural Costa Rica. To get a cow to move in Costa Rica, you yell "aca!" It's just like 'vaca' without the 'v'.
3 comments:
I had a similar experience while living in San Pedro. At the local Perimercados, they sold tamales, and I decided to try some. I saw the sign said "Piña" so I asked in surprise if the special ingredient in these tamales was "Piña"! Then I got the explanation of what it really meant :)
Yeah, you'd think they're just trying to fool with us by using that same word in such a different way (which actually makes it a different word). However, I found out that the word does indeed have legitimate Spanish roots. Here is the definition that the Real Academia gives:
Conjunto de personas o cosas unidas o agregadas estrechamente.
Little doubt, the dude is completely just.
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