Happy MARDI GRAS or FAT/SHROVE/PANCAKE Tuesday! The French word Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday and is celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of 40 days of Lent preceding Easter Sunday.
Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras is also known as Shrove Tuesday. Costa Rica is primarily a Catholic population, and observes all major Catholic holidays. Because there is Fat Tuesday, there is CARNIVAL. Two of the biggest Carnivals or Mardi Gras are in New Orleans, Louisiana and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (the mother of all Carnivals).
This year, Rio experienced some extra controversy beyond the usual nattering about the abbreviated Samba costumes, or lack thereof.The Queen of the Carnival was a 7 year old little girl named Julia Lira.Her mother is a police officer and her father is the president of a Samba school.
Julia loves to dance but of course doesn’t understand the perversions of too many men who will see her adult-style Samba moves in twisted ways---her parents should have.Little Julia was brought to tears when a herd of press and photographers crowded around her, scaring her; then her parents pulled her away.
The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are Purple (symbolic of Justice), Green (symbolic of Faith), and Gold (symbolic of Power). In Costa Rica this celebration is not quite the big event as in other parts of the world, with only a few cities celebrating with as much crazy partying as they can.
Ironically, this big festival time is based on both Christian religious beliefs and Pagan rituals from the past. The word Carnival is from the Latin “carnis levamen”, (solace of the flesh) from the middle ages where partying was carried out to the extreme. The day that most Carnivals take place is on Fat Tuesday (this year it falls on Feb. 15th).
The alternate name, Shrove Tuesday uses the past tense of the English word “shrive” referring to the practice of acknowledging one’s sins, to assure oneself of forgiveness, and to get appropriate spiritual advice.
The English language borrows this word in a common saying, to give someone “short shrift” is to pay very little attention to his excuses or problems—to give him “short shrift and a long rope” was an old expression formerly meant to hang a criminal with a minimum of delay.
It is believed the reference to fat in Fat Tuesday came about because on that day a thrifty housewife tried to use up all the fats that she had kept around (the container of bacon drippings, for instance) and perishable items like eggs and milk for cooking that would not be used during the 6 ½ weeks of Lent, where doing without rich foods and fasting are the rules.
This special day has also come to be known, especially in Europe as Pancake Tuesday (a lot of people ate pancakes as the last meal before Lent). Pancake Tuesday is celebrated a lot of places with Pancake Races.The contestants run through a prescribed course, while holding griddles and flipping pancakes.
Points are awarded for best time, height of flips and number of times the pancake turns over. Another theory of the origin of Fat Tuesday is that Pagans used to parade a fat ox through the town streets to begin a holiday of excessive eating, drinking and general rowdiness.
The biggest Carnival in Costa Rica is not on Fat Tuesday, but on Columbus Day, October 12th, in the Caribbean port city of Limon. “Dia de Las Culturas”, or “Dia De La Raza”, celebrates the “Day of Indigenous People”.
Caribbean/African beats musically fill the air as colorfully decked out Samba dancers careen down the streets of Limon for the spectacular event. Local foods, drinks of many kinds, with serious street partying will become a big reason to make Limon a place to hit when in Costa Rica during October.
There may not be much time left for Costa Rica to wake up and realize that it is the birthplace of one of the most legendary singers in the world.
Chavela Vargas is now 90 years of age and living out her remaining years in her beloved Vera Cruz, Mexico.
The world outside of Latin America continues to discover this “Ranchera style” singer who will be remembered for her sultry, steel-edged love songs that were often aimed at the seduction of lesbian women during a time of revolutions and wars that were shaking the world.
It was because Chavela stayed true to herself as a lover of women when it was viewed as something evil by her religion, family and government, that she became an unknowing heroine.
Chavela once said, “I didn’t attend lesbian classes.No one taught me to be this way.I was born this way, from the moment I opened my eyes in this world.
I’ve never been to bed with a man.Never. That’s how pure I am; I have nothing to be ashamed of.My gods made me the way I am.”As a child, Chavela suffered from Polio and blindness.
These “little” problems were cured, she says by healing energy directed through her by Shamans of Costa Rica.No one would ever have guessed that when little Isabel Vargas Lizano ran away to Mexico from her home in Heredia, Costa Rica at age 14 that she was running into the pages of history.
She began by singing on the streets of Mexico, honing her craft and discovering who she was.When this process of genesis was far enough along Chavela Vargas began her path to becoming a legend.
Although she recorded over 80 albums, Chavela didn’t start recording until her 40’s.The albums, international recognition, awards and Carnegie Hall came in the fall of Chavela’s life, so it was only a fortunate few who were able to witness a young Chavela Vargas, on fire, on the small stage.
She must have blazed quite a colorful path through the many Mexican and Cuban nightclubs as descriptions from that time speak of a provocative Ranchera singer, dressed in men’s pants, smoking a cigar, carrying a pistol and wearing a red poncho who sang like a smoldering ember.
Her wild “vida loca” brought her into contact with some of the historical “elite”, including her live-in intimate relationship with Frida Kahlo, the world famous painter and wife of Diego Rivera.
The stunningly poignant Salma Hayek movie, “Frida” features 2 Chavela Vargas songs including the unforgettably riveting bar scene where Chavela is on camera in the role of “Death” singing “La Llorona” to Hayek, who’s playing Frida Kahlo, Chavela’s former lover in real life---absolutely incredible!Click the following link to view the scene from “Frida”:
The ravages of 90 years, living life like her hair was on fire, and a near fatal bout with alcoholism (her brother once calculated that she consumed approximately 45 thousand liters/12 thousand gallons of Tequila), are etched on her face and heard in her voice, further authenticating a life that not everyone would choose but that most can view as amazing.
Here is an English translation that probably isn’t perfect but will give the sensuousness of the piece.This song, delivered by Chavela to chosen women from the stages of nightclubs was probably responsible for more than a few rendezvous.
Chavela Vargas and Frida Kahlo are permanently linked in a period of history that affected millions of people on the earth, as nations, dictators and armies rattled swords, marched in revolution and went to war.Chavela saw this, heard this, felt this and it's reflected in her songs of celebration of the joy of love that must always end.
No matter how much modernization, sophistication and glitz that JacóBeach adds to its persona during its ascent to the top of Latin American vacation destinations, the symbol of our EmeraldCity has always been and still is The Beatle Bar.
Although much has been written about the “sleaze factor” of Jacó and the Beatle Bar, a man from Chicago saw what Jaco Beach was and knows what it is to become. He brought with him a big dose of rejuvenation serum and injected it into Jacós most historic saloon. For the last 2 years, Jacós famous Temple of Fun has been steadily transforming into a premier showplace of a nightclub, providing a safer, more attractive Disney-World of Debauchery for those who like a bit of the Wild Side of life.
Bringing together people of all ages from 18 to “mature”, The Beatle Bar is the engine that drives a large number of fun-seeking tourists to JacóBeach. Lucas, the new Chicago owner/operator, is from an American city internationally known to be the home of stellar nightclubs for over one hundred years, which may help explain the Beatle Bar’s evolution into a genuine 1st class venue.
The atmosphere is clean, warm and friendly, with good food and plenty of entertainment from the bar crew and patrons themselves. The uncompromisingly high standards, including a security team that actually provides security, new sound system, new A/C system and lighting, ample table seating, concierge and tour desk and a T-shirt and merchandise store, ensures Jacó Beach’s #1 night-time attraction will continue to thrive. To visit their website, go to www.thebeatlebar.com or for more information email
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“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?...The Shadow Knows.”Jacósun has learned that at least one man working alone, not unlike the Shadow from the 1930s radio show, comic books and movies,has been patrolling the isolated stretches of Jacó Beach in the late hours of the night, protecting innocent people from the forces of evil.
Nicknamed EL DIABLO NEGRO(The Black Devil) by a distraught thug as he saw our man, dressed in black from head to toe, coming at him to “discourage” his habit of breaking jaws of helpless old men, El Diablo Negro thwarts the violent activities of thieves, drug addicts and other bad guys that use force to victimize the innocent, weak or “impaired” during the late hours of the night in our city.
At the risk of alienating future JacóBeach tourists, we at Jacósun are breaking this story because it is #1-the truth, and #2-a situation that tourists need to know about, so they can make informed decisions before they plan where to vacation. It needs to be addressed now because JacóBeach is growing into a key destination city and therefore will attract more opportunistic criminal types.
The word needs to get out that Jacó is tough on crime, no matter if the criminals are being fought by El Diablo Negro or the official police forces of Costa Rica and JacóBeach.
Costa Rica and JacóBeach in particular, have very little violent crime overall.Therefore, when we hear of a number of locals getting robbed and beaten, women getting their purses stolen, break-ins and worse, it becomes an increasing concern.
We at Jacósun do not approve of the persecution of “victimless” crimes like pot-smoking and other “self-medication”, but when the line is crossed into theft and violence it is time for action.
For tourists arriving here from large metropolitan cities where crime is an accepted consequence of life, our issues might sound a bit trivial; however we assure you they are not, to us.Part of the process of a little town growing into an actual tourist haven is the question of how efficiently its government deploys the police force.
Right at this moment, that part of the process is lagging and one or more individuals in this town have shouldered the responsibility of filling in for late night law enforcement until the powers that be get their act together.
It is not the fault of the police officers themselves.They do their jobs in a professional manner. In fact, El Diablo Negro has received some positive reactions from local officers. The blame has to be assessed at the management level where deployment assignments are issued.
We believe that regular law enforcement will eventually be directed to refocus police patrols into the known higher crime areas during the known higher crime hours .When this “revelation” occurs to the officials in charge, El Diablo Negro will then step back into the shadows, because his work will become unnecessary; which we are sure is all he wants in the first place.
It is unfortunate that there are times when merely walking down the street or beach alone is an unacceptable risk; but such is life.There are actually a lot of police here in JacóBeach, with 5 separate police agencies (Transito, Fuerza Publica, IOJ, Municipal Police and the Tourist Police), however like anywhere else they can’t be everywhere all the time, nor would we want them to be.
It is a situation of allocating law enforcement more efficiently.
Predators who feed on the weak are always surprised when their victims fight back. El Diablo Negro is fighting back in his way. This is Costa Rica, a sovereign nation that has its own laws and legal systems that are supposed to protect the people.At this time, in this country, the criminals who commit “petty crimes” are treated very leniently and are released from prison quickly, if they serve any time at all.
In this little beach town however, as more tourists arrive and venture out at night, the “Evil Doers” will have to be a lot more careful on whom they decide to prey, or move on to another city.
The actions of the JacóBeach “Black Devil of the Night” may even instigate positive reactions elsewhere in Costa Rica, as similar crime situations in other cities become exposed in the growing spotlight of truth.
There are those among us who do not sit on their hands when innocent people are being harmed, or when they, themselves are attacked.Therefore, in JacóBeach at least, tourists and citizens alike will always have a “back up system” when government fails to provide adequate police force.
For those who don’t believe that Diablo Negro actually exists, consider that throughout the history of modern civilizations, certain men have always risen up and quietly “manually adjusted” the scales of justice when lawful police efforts failed to adequately “protect and serve” their fellow-citizens.
This same history also reminds us that government officials and sometimes even local law enforcement take a dim view of someone who “takes the law into his own hands”.It is an embarrassment they want to crush out.
We at Jacósun, although wishing his actions unnecessary, recognize the efforts of the Black Devil of the night, and would say to him, “stay safe and CARPE NOCTUM ”.
The most popular Reggae band in the world performed here at Docelunes Sunday night.Fans lucky, smart or fortunate enough to obtain tickets were rewarded with the always consistent and glorious rhythms, percussions and vocals of a group of professional musicians that are masters at their musical craft.
The original band members; David Hinds (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals) and Ronald McQueen (bass) met at their boys school in Birmingham, England.The name of the band was provided by McQueen using a popular racehorse’s name, at the time, of Steel Pulse.
The current core of Steel Pulse is David Hinds, the “engine” behind the “pulse”, Selwyn “Bumbo” Brown (keyboards) and Steve “Grizzly” Nisbett (drums and percussion).Their traveling band includes up to 6 other musicians that will be on stage, depending on the size of the venue.
The Grammy Award winning Steel Pulse is the only Reggae band ever to be invited to the White House, which occurred when they played for President and Mrs. Clinton at their Inaugural Party.Despite sound problems and disorganized situations with parking and beer sales (a ticket voucher system that probably looked good on paper), everyone had a great time!
Music & Nightlife 
Happy MARDI GRAS or FAT/SHROVE/PANCAKE Tuesday! The French word Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday and is celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of 40 days of Lent preceding Easter Sunday. 
The alternate name, Shrove Tuesday uses the past tense of the English word “shrive” referring to the practice of acknowledging one’s sins, to assure oneself of forgiveness, and to get appropriate spiritual advice. 
Points are awarded for best time, height of flips and number of times the pancake turns over. Another theory of the origin of Fat Tuesday is that Pagans used to parade a fat ox through the town streets to begin a holiday of excessive eating, drinking and general rowdiness.
There may not be much time left for 
It was because Chavela stayed true to herself as a lover of women when it was viewed as something evil by her religion, family and government, that she became an unknowing heroine.
Although she recorded over 80 albums, Chavela didn’t start recording until her 40’s.
No matter how much modernization, sophistication and glitz that 
“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?...The Shadow Knows.”
