Swiss barn

This is a closer view of the Swiss architecture of the barn on the grounds of the Los Heroes Hotel on the shores of Lake Arenal, which I also showed yesterday. The Swiss theme is carried out even in the Gothic lettering on the barn. Although one would expect the German language to be used in such Gothic lettering, they are words in Spanish giving thanks for such a beautiful land. Amen.

For a link to the website of the Swiss-themed Hotel Los Heroes, click here.

I enjoy people who have imported their architecture from their countries of origin when they have moved to other areas of the world, as long as it is tastefully done and fits within its setting, rather than being touristy kitsch, like a Las Vegas theme hotel.

I think the Swiss touches of this farmstead and hotel fit in just fine because of the green, mountain setting. It reminds me of the Lakes region of Patagonia in Argentina, particularly the town of Bariloche and the village of Villa la Angustura. Many of the hotels, lodges, and restaurants in that area are built in a Swiss or German style, similar to this farm and hotel in Costa Rica.

Perhaps immigrants feel more comfortable if they recreate the architecture of their home country even when they move far away. That is certainly the case with English people. I recently went to Australia and New Zealand for the first time, and the architecture there looks more classically British than England. In Australia, a store clerk, even referred to my wife and me, both Americans, as being "ex-empire." I had never heard that expression, and we certainly don't think of ourselves as being formerly British subjects.

On Victoria Island, British Columbia, Canada, they have a slogan that they are more British than the English. Maybe the more distant people are from their homeland, the more extreme they are in trying to recreate its architecture to remind them of home, as it will be less likely that they will return home to visit.

Carrying on the traditions of the homeland is present on the shores of Lake Arenal in other ways besides the Los Heroes Swiss hotel. An Englishman has carried on the gardening tradition of his homeland in creating the Jardin Botanical Arenal, a botanical garden containing 2,200 species of native plants that thrive in the ideal climate and rich volcanic soil of the Arenal area.