Earthquakes are like the Spanish Inquisition, no one expects them!
As I am sure people have heard by now Costa Rica experienced a 6.1 or 6.2 quake yesterday afternoon. The very scary shaker was followed by several hundred (yes hundred) tremors. Some were as strong at 4.0.
Fortunately, Koshka, my parents, the house and Van are fine. Just shaken literally and figuratively. We are lucky. The Vara Blanca area has been hit hard with more deaths than are being reported in the US media. And hundreds of stranded tourists too.
We were at my parent's house finishing lunch when the ground began to grumble and shake. I think everyone assumed it would be a little one. A few seconds in it was obvious this was not the typical Tico temblor.
As the light over the table began to swing like a six year old on a swing we decided to make a break a for it. Everyone except my stepdad who crawled under the table. A decision that still baffles me. He insists it was the safest move. But I can't help but think it is akin to telling passengers of the Titanic "to just stay in their rooms and be calm." I'm just sayin'.
The quake "in action" was caught on TeleTica 7. For the non-Spanish speaking folks, the anchors are telling everyone to be calm. My hats off to these brave perfectly coiffed folk. Even after that not a single hair out of place and even more amazing....they stayed put. I would have yelled "earthquake" followed by a few choice curse words and then ran out of the studio without looking back. Self-preservation and fear are a powerful combination that can give a gal US Olympic track team with steroids speed.
