1. Costa Ricans call themselves Ticos(male) and Ticas(female). 2. Costa Rica is slightly smaller than Lake Michigan. 3. There are 800 miles of coastline, both on the Atlantic and Pacific. 4. Costa Rica border Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. 5. It only takes up 0.03% of the planet’s surface but holds 5% of its biodiversity! 6. There are over 130 species of fish, 220 of reptiles, 1,000 butterflies (10% of the world’s butterflys are in Costa Rica!), 9,000 plants, 20,000 species of spiders and 34,000 species of insects! 7. More than 25% of Costa Rican land is protected national parks and refuges. 8. They don’t really have summers and winters, but a dry season that runs December-April and a rainy season that runs May-November. 9. The average life expectancy of 77 years is one of the highest in the world. 10. Costa Rica has had a female president, Laura Chinchilla. 11. Costa Rica has no standing army. It was constitutionally abolished in 1949. 12. They claim a 96% literacy rate. In very poor and rural areas, where children can’t get to schools, they teach classes over a national radio station. 13. Costa Rica is a popular choice for American expatriates who want to retire in the tropics. 14. When a woman is pregnant they say she is “con luz,” or “with light.” 15. When someone is your significant other, your other half, they are your “media naranja,” or the other half of your orange. 16. “Pura vida” is the national saying, which means “pure life,” a sunny, feel good expression used as a greeting, goodbye, or if someone asks how you are doing. 17. The average Tico makes $6,000 a year and the average wage labor is $10 per day, the highest in Central America. 18. Costa Rica is aiming to be carbon neutral. 19. San Jose is only a 2 hour flight from Miami and 3 ½ from New York. They have nonstop flights from New York, Houston, and Miami. 20. Names are confusing in Costa Rica. Ticas do not take their husband's last name. The woman uses her full maiden name for life. No changing of national ID cards, drivers licenses, etc. She also adds her mother's maiden name. Children take their father’s name. 21. The older generations of Ticos are not tall, so most furniture, like chairs, couches, beds, etc. are built 6-8 inches lower than in the US. 22. Locks (on houses, doors, and gates) almost always work backwards. 23. Milk, eggs, and other perishable items are often sold unrefrigerated. 24. It is common to buy wine in little paper boxes, which you refrigerate. 25. Often milk is sold in a little plastic bag, and you have to cut the edge with scissors to open it, which often results in inexperienced gringos covered in milk and putting water on their cereal. 26. Costa Rica is a Catholic country but ensures freedom of religion. 27. Nearly all Catholic churches face west. 28. On the Atlantic Coast, the Caribbean side, most of the population is descended from African roots, like Jamaica, and speak Spanish as well as patois. 29. A Costa Rican female swimmer won a gold medal in the 1996 summer games in Atlanta. 30. Costa Rica is the longest-standing democracy in Central America.
Points 23 and 24 are my favourites. You can tell a lot about a nation by studying their refrigeration habits. I this case I’m split 50/50 whether they’re wrong ‘uns or not.
4 nowt England. Kane with a hattrick and Sterling with 40 yarder to silence those S*n bastards. It's coming home.
I only hope that Southgate is aware of this. Don't want our lads bamboozled by swarthy Central Americans hawking warm perishable goods. Can't see Raheem Sterling responding well to a lukewarm pot of probiotic yoghurt.
Absolutely. Equally Southers should be weary of the fact they refrigerate boxes of wine and this might even include red wine. The younger lads won’t know what the **** is going on. Sly bastards.
Just remembered I got Costa Rica in a works sweep , hope the lads get a confidence boosting 3-0 win tonight , Up the Ricas!
Sterling struggles to kick a ball six yards in the right direction. He'd have to proper mis kick one to score from forty.
3-1 to Costa Rica. Kane puts us one up early doors. It's a debatable goal which is missed by the Japanese ref who is still trying to wash his pre-match milk drink out of his kit. Navas, who is rightly upset about Kane cheating gets sent off for legging up Sterling. Bryan Ruíz subs for him in goal. The Costa Rican coach pulls a blinder though as Paulo Wanchope comes out of retirement to score a hattrick. What a game!
