Peru and Costa Rica

Spanish

Dates

Costa Rica & Peru Date

What are you thinking as we begin our final week of travels?

Varies from tropical in the east to dry desert in the

west; temperate to frigid in the Andes

Lima29.5 million

Peruvian nuevo sol

1 sol = 0.3851USD

President Ollanta Humala Tasso

Spanish

Himno Nacional del Peru

1 CRC = 0.002 USD

San José4.6 million

Costa Rican ColonesPresident Laura

Chinchilla Miranda

Himno Nacional

de Costa Rica

Spanish

tropical and subtropical; December-April, dry

season; May-November, rainy season

Ubinas, in the Andes, last erupted in 2009

Other historically active volcanoes: El

Misti, Huayanputina, Sabancaaya, Yucamane

Highest Point: HuascaránLago Titicaca, world’s highest

navigable lakeAndes Mountains

Amazon Basin Machu Picchu

Natural Resources: copper, silver, gold,

petroleum, timber, iron ore, coal, natural gas

Natural Hazards: earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Most active volcano: Arenal, erupted in

20104 volcanoes, 2 of which are active

are near the capital

Highest Point: Mt. Chirripo

Savegre RiverManuel Antonio

National Park

Braulio Carrillo National Park

Costa Natural Hazards: earthquakes, hurricanes,

frequent flooding, landslides, active

volcanoes

Environmental Issues: deforestation and land use change, air pollution

¿Hablas Inglés?: Do you speak English?

¿Dónde está el baño?: Where is the bathroom?

No entiendo: I don’t understand

Si: yes

No: no

¡Por favor: please

¡Gracias: thank you

¡De nada: you’re welcome

¿Cuánto es?: How much is it?

Costa Rican Architecture

• Architecture in Costa Rica is not that elaborate, due to the extreme weather conditions, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions

• Much of the original architecture has been destroyed

• Buildings are built to stand the test of time, rather than to be pretty

• Original architecture was inspired by Spanish Colonial architecture (17th and 18th centuries)

Peruvian Architecture

• Many styles still exist: ancient, Incan Empire, Colonial Peru, modern

• Peruvian colonial: a mixture of European styles combined with indigenous imagery

• Then we move to the Baroque period.• Neoclassicism: French inspired, characterized

by eclecticism• In the U.S., Antioch, Illinois has a great deal of

Peruvian archietecture

History of Costa Rica • 500AD: Diquís begin using gold to make jewelry, animal

figures, and other objects• 1502: Christopher Columbus is first European to reach Costa

Rica• 1522: Spanish colonization begins• 1821: Gains independence from Spain, joins Mexican Empire• 1823: Mexican Empire dissolves; Costa Rica, El Salvador,

Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua form the United Provinces of Central America

• 1838: Costa Rica gains independence• 1849-59: American, William Walker tries to gain control

History of Peru• 1250BC: Native Indian groups build settlements• 1100AD: The Chimú people build a capital at Chan Chan,

believed to have been the largest adobe city in the world• 1438: Incan Empire begins to rise to power. Builds largest

empire in the Americas• 1533: Francisco Pizarro leads Spanish soldiers, and defeats

the Incas. • 1535: Pizarro names Lima the new capital• 1824: Wins independence from Spain; last Latin American

colony to do so• 1911: American archaeologist Hiram Bingham finds Machu

Picchu

Costa Rican Schools

• Many rulers have also been educators• Costa Rica has a 93% literacy level• Expanding primary and secondary education is a

focus• Primary school is 6 years (academic)• High school is 5 or 6 years (technical/professional)• Ministerio de Education is responsible for regulating

education• 1869: First country in world where education was

free and obligatory

Peruvian Schools

• Three Levels: Initial (3 years, ages 3-5), Primary (6 years), secondary (5 years)

• Not all children have access to all levels• In small villages, attending school is more

challenging• Lunch is not provided at school• Most schools require a uniform

Dia de los Muertos

• Day of the Dead• Celebrated throughout Mexico and the world• Family and friends gather to pray for and remember those

who have died• It is a national holiday in Mexico• Celebrated on November 1st • Important Symbols: sugar skulls, marigolds, and favorite

foods of those who have died• Can be traced back to the Aztec festival dedicated to the

goddess Mictecacihutal

Sun Festival (Last week of februar)

• Celebrates the Mayan New Year (Feb. 25th)• There is a fire ceremony• Use of solar power is promoted

Spanish Fly (Spain): Similar to leapfrog. While jumping, leader performs acts others must follow. Any player who fails to follow the leader takes to place of the back to be jumped over.

Carpenteros, Carboneros, and Cardinales (Mexico): 20 or more players. One player is the leader, everyone else forms 2 parallel lines, about 3ft apart. One team is the carpenteros, the other the carboneros. Leader calls out one group. Group called turns and runs to a line, about 30ft away. Other team tries to tag them before they cross the line; tagged players are out. If cardinales are called, no one should move. Anyone who moves is out.