Random Factoid: Pura Vida

October 14, 2009 - Filed under Random Factoid

Costa Rica’s unofficial motto “Pura Vida” literally translates to “Pure Life”, but is often used in everyday conversation to say “Cool” or “Everything’s awesome!”

Tamarindo, Costa Rica - Beautiful Sunset! Pura Vida.

But the phrase isn’t another of the many tiquismos, or Costa Rican slang terms. It’s believed to have actually originated in Mexican movies of the 1950’s and then became wildly popular in Costa Rica.

Posted by: Shim

Random Factoid: Cheese Rings are awesome…

February 4, 2009 - Filed under Eats, Random Factoid

cheese rings

…until you expose them to air. Much like people in speedos, too much exposure makes you nasty. Yet still cheesy.

Posted by: Shim

Random Factoid: The Philippines is the Text Messaging Capitol of the World

January 10, 2009 - Filed under Random Factoid

Filipinos send on average 20 text messages per day, compared to the US. average of 11. Last year on New Year’s Eve alone, mobile users in the Philippines sent 1.39 billion text messages from a subscriber base of just 50 million.

text messaging in the Philippines

Statistics for 2007. Source: Reuters

Posted by: Kelly

Random Factoid: Bring earplugs when traveling to the Philippines.

December 20, 2008 - Filed under Random Factoid

I’ve heard that there may be as many as 15 million roosters per year used for cockfighting. No, I can’t confirm these number by anything other than estimating the cacophony of cock-a-doodling at dawn each morning.

Thankfully, we’re not in a rural farming district and we’re also not in an urban center which is surprisingly louder. Still, we have neighbours we can’t convince to make chicken soup.

Posted by: Shim

Random Factoid: San Miguel makes good, cheap beer.

December 1, 2008 - Filed under Drinks, Random Factoid

How cheap you ask? Well, at today’s exhcange rate of 39 Philippine Pesos for 1 Canadian Dollar, it’s a mere $0.71 for a can of Pale Pilsen from the supermarket. Now the question isn’t my beer budget. It’s how many situps I need to do to burn off 6 cans of beer. :)

Posted by: Shim

Random Factoid: Metal rings around palm trees

November 18, 2008 - Filed under Random Factoid

The metal band around a palm tree is to stop rodents from climbing the tree to eat the palm fruit. We initially thought it might be to assist climbing for harvesting or to keep the tree skinnier as it grows… Apparently not. :)

Posted by: Shim