C-O-S-T-A R-I-C-A Trivia Quiz

Answer: Citrus juice

Costa Ricans enjoy ceviche as a light appetizer or as a refreshing snack on a hot day. It's made by curing raw white fish (like corvina or tilapia) in lots of freshly squeezed lime juice. Sometimes other citrus is used such as mandarins or passion fruit.

The juice, in essence, "cooks" the fish. Tossed with finely diced onions, cilantro, and sometimes bell peppers, it is traditionally served cold in a cup with saltine crackers or plantain chips. And a cold beer.

Answer: Flooding of nearby river

The Orosi Valley is located in the south-central part of Costa Rica and sits just over an hour drive from the capital city, San José. Carved by the Reventazón River and surrounded by lush green mountains, it is known as one of the most scenic and fertile regions in the country.

That same river, however, caused the old city of Ujarrás to be abandoned in the 1830s following a series of floods. Severely damaged by a huge one in 1833, the overwhelmed residents chose to leave the settlement behind and relocate to nearby areas. Today, all that remains of the once-lively village are the stone walls of Costa Rica's oldest colonial church.

Answer: To defecate

While most arboreal animals (who live in the treetops) simply go the bathroom from the safety of the trees, sloths have a bizarre and risky routine. Once every seven to eight days, they make the slow, agonizing trek down to the ground strictly to defecate and urinate.

Because they have the slowest metabolism of any mammal, they store an immense amount of waste, losing up to one-third of their body weight in a single bowel movement. This weekly bathroom break is actually the most perilous time in a sloth's life. Over half of all sloth deaths occur while they are on the ground using the restroom, making them easy targets for predators like jaguars, coyotes, and feral dogs.

Answer: How they ended their words

In the 1850s, an American named William Walker invaded Central America with a private army, hoping to conquer the region and create his own empire. Costa Rica and its neighboring countries teamed up to fight back and defend their freedom. While fighting in this war, soldiers from other countries noticed that the Costa Rican troops had a unique way of speaking.

Instead of using the normal Spanish ending "-ito" to make a word sound small or affectionate, the Costa Ricans constantly ended their words with "-tico". They would say things like "momentico" instead of "momentito". Because they used this phrase so often, the allied soldiers started calling the Costa Rican troops "the ticos". The nickname stuck around long after the war was won, and today it adapts to gender as men and groups are called "ticos", while women are called "ticas".

Answer: False

Arenal Volcano is a stratovolcano standing 5,437 feet (1,657 meters) tall in norhtwestern Costa Rica. At "only" 7,500 years old, it is Costa Rica's youngest volcano. For over 400 years, the peak had been entirely silent and blanketed in thick green forest, leading local communities to believe it was just an ordinary, extinct mountain.

Therefore, they were completely caught off guard by a catastrophic eruption on July 29, 1968. There were no modern monitoring systems or obvious warning signs. The sudden, violent explosions took everyone by surprise, destroying three nearby villages and reshaping the region virtually overnight.

Answer: Startle coloration

The non-toxic red-eyed tree frog is bright green with blue and yellow stripes on its flanks. Its webbed feet are a bright orange. And then, of course, it has those massive crimson eyes. It uses them in a fascinating way, called startle coloration, to escape predators.

During the day, the frog hides its vibrant colors by tucking in its legs and closing its eyes, blending in perfectly with green leaves. If a predator like a snake or bird gets too close, the frog suddenly snaps open its massive red eyes and flashes its bright blue-and-yellow sides and orange feet. This sudden burst of neon color shocks and confuses the attacker for a split second, giving the frog just enough time to leap away to safety.

Answer: Jurassic Park

Isla del Coco, or Cocos Island, is a lush, uninhabited island located about 350 miles (563 km) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is famous for legends of buried pirate loot, most notably the Treasure of Lima. This is a massive hoard of gold, silver, and jewels rumored to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The mysterious, isolated setting captured the imagination of author Michael Crichton, who used Cocos Island's unique geography, cliffs, and rugged terrain as the direct inspiration for Isla Nublar. This became the fictional dinosaur sanctuary in his bestselling novel and the blockbuster film franchise "Jurassic Park".

Answer: Rinse with water after each use

A chorreador is a traditional Costa Rican coffee maker made of a wooden stand that holds a reusable, sock-like cloth bag called a bolsita. To brew the drink, coffee grounds are placed into the cloth bag and hot water is poured over them, allowing the freshly brewed coffee to drip into a mug or pot waiting below.

Because this cloth bag is reused for months or even years, proper maintenance is essential for both flavor and hygiene. The bag is rinsed with water only because any soap or detergent would soak into the fabric and ruin the taste of future cups of coffee. It is then hung up to dry thoroughly between uses to prevent mold, mildew, or unpleasant odors from growing in the damp cloth.

Answer: Achiote paste

In Costa Rica, arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) is the ultimate crowd-pleasing comfort food. While it can be eaten any day of the week as a staple lunch or dinner special at local diners (sodas), it is most famous as the quintessential party food. It is often served at major gatherings like birthday parties or reunions.

Achiote paste is made from ground annatto seeds, which come from the fruit of a native tropical shrub. In arroz con pollo, this paste is melted into the hot oil or mixed directly into the warm chicken broth before the rice cooks. This ensures every grain of rice absorbs a vibrant goldenish orange color and gets that earthy, mildly nutty flavor that defines the entire dish.

Answer: Horses

The Tope Nacional is a big celebration of Costa Rica's farming history and cowboy culture, where horses take center stage as symbols of national pride. In the past, these animals were essential tools for daily life, farming, and herding cattle in the countryside. Now, the parade allows riders from all over the country to show off their finest animals, demonstrate incredible riding skills, and keep their rural traditions alive for future generations.

As thousands of these beautiful animals march through the streets of San José, it connects modern cities back to their humble country roots. The event brings the whole nation together to enjoy the festive holiday season with music, energy, and community spirit.