A.M. Costa Rica/Dennis Rogers

penchant for sweets. They tasted each brand and were asked leading questions about its aroma, sweetness and strength, bouquet, and amount of carbonation. The palate was cleansed with plain Pringles between samples. Expectoration was not allowed. The experts considered the appearance in a glass and the presentation of the product itself.

All six samples were chilled overnight. Service was in a small water glass.

Fanta was essentially the benchmark to which others were compared. It scored intermediate in the important factors, being sweet with moderate carbonation and orangey color. 

Milory is stronger and sweeter, mostly due to less carbonation and is less brightly colored also. One tester described the taste as “rotten strawberry.”

Inca was scored high on flavor and carbonation with a much fruitier bouquet, evoking lemon or banana. Inca Cola has a bright yellow color which some might associate with dehydration after a long hike in the Peruvian coastal deserts, as opposed to the red of the other brands. This could have been a cause of bias.

The Cruz Blanca product was considered little more than a watered down version of the syrup with hardly any carbonation. One tester described it as “weird” and both noted a slight salty or bitter taste.

Two different presentations of Big Cola were tried, strawberry and just red. Nobody detected any hint of strawberry in either. Both experts said the red had little taste. Red has some more carbonation while the strawberry has “little, little, little” gas.

Big Cola is the regional partner of the Barcelona football team, with some players on the labels. Uniforms show the old Unicef promotion before the team sold out to a Qatari consortium as part of the conspiracy to have the 2020 World Cup there. The two presentations don’t show the same players however, as red has Villa, Puyols, former coach Pep Guardiola, Messi, and Iniesta, while fresa has Villa, Puyols, Messi, Pedro, and goalkeeper Valdez.

Adults present detected a slightly bitter aftertaste to both Big Cola products but found them barely distinguishable. With Inka the most palatable, adults generally find all of the tested products to taste like bubblegum.

Quakes within 6 minutes
had different origins


Two quakes within six minutes of each other came from difference sources, said geological experts.

The first was at 12:21 p.m. Sunday about 22 kilometers (14 miles)  south of Jacó  and 52 kilometers (32 miles) west of Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio.  The intensity was strongest in Jacó. The estimated epicenter was in the Pacific ocean.

The Red Sismológica Nacional attributed this quake to the subduction of the Coco tectonic plate under the lighter Caribbean plate on which Costa Rica rides. The magnitude was estimated at 3.8.

The second quake was at 12:27 p.m. had an epicenter estimated to be some 5 kilometers northeast of  San Isidro de Coronado. The cause, according to the Red  Sismológica Nacional, was a local fault. The magnitude was 3.8, said the Red.

Red Sismológica Nacional said that it is common for quakes form various sources to take place on the same day. The country averages 18 quakes a day but most are not felt by humans, the Red said.


Grecia expats planning
independence event


Grecia hosts its second annual Independence Day Fiesta for Sunday, July 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Th event is organized by a group of expats and their Costa Rican neighbors who said the purpose is  to celebrate U.S. independence with American foods, live music and dance, and much more, and to give back to the community.
 
The event again will be at the Quinta Real recreation center in San Francisco de San Isidro de Grecia. Everyone is invited, no passports needed for entry.

The day's activities include swimming, fútbol, raffles, silent auction, along with vendors of everything from local art to baked goods to hot coffee, said organizers. Besides all-American hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings and sides, the menu also includes ice cold soft drinks and beer, they said. All foods and beverages are reasonably priced. Ample free parking is provided. The U.S. Embassy is hosting a voter registration drive. Those who seek to register to vote will need their U.S. passport, the organizers said.
 
Admission at the gate is 1,500 colons ($3) or 500 colons ($1) for children 12 and younger. All profits benefit the Fundación de Amigos Griegos Hoy por Ti (Friends of Grecia Foundation – For You Today!), whose goal is to assist members of the Grecia community who have fallen through the cracks and need a helping hand, said organizers. For more information, those interested can call 2444-7861 or email azbelle72@gmail.com, or visit the Facebook page.

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